WHAT’S NEXT?: After SC ruling, recanvass seen as final step before Tabuk City No. 1 Councilor Comafay takes office

Tabuk City, Kalinga – Anti-corruption crusader Atty. Errol Comafay can soon become the voice of the people in the City Council of Tabuk.

Now that none other than the Supreme Court has reversed Comafay’s disqualification in the May 2025 elections, Tabukeños who gave him the majority of the votes and placed him number one are eagerly awaiting his assumption of office.

On January 14, the Supreme Court overturned the decision of the Commission on Elections to cancel Comafay’s Certificate of Candidacy, describing the ruling as an “overly literal and narrow interpretation” of what constitutes material misrepresentation.

With the final decision handed down by the highest court of the land, the 43,321 voters who cast their ballots for Comafay—as well as other Tabukeños who supported his candidacy—have been asking one question: When will he take his seat at the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Tabuk City?

In an interview with GURU Press Cordillera, Comafay explained that the Board of Canvassers must first reconvene to amend the canvass and proclamation issued in May last year. After this process, Comafay will be formally proclaimed and will take his oath as a city councilor.

The lawyer, who earlier credited the Supreme Court’s decision to the overwhelming support of the people of Tabuk, also acknowledged the public-initiated “Piso Roll for Errol”, which helped raise legal funds when supporters learned he would elevate the case to the Supreme Court.

“When our supporters learned that we would be elevating our case to the Supreme Court, they initiated the Piso Roll for Errol. They donated and pooled funds to help cover the legal expenses of our case. My fight was also their fight, so they raised funds to defray the costs of our legal battle,” he said.

Comafay is known as anti-corruption advocate and a staunch critic of Mayor Darwin Estranero.The cyber libel complaint against Atty. Errol Comafay lodged by Estranero was due to the lawyers comments over the purchases of what he said as overpriced medical supplies by the City Government. The case was filed at the Office of the City Prosecutor on October 15, 2021, and the corresponding information was subsequently filed at the Regional Trial Court on July 1, 2022.Said case was later dismissed due to prescription.

In his previous statements, the lawyer has promised the people of Tabuk to protect their interests.