The Supreme Court en banc has affirmed the proclamation of Susan Yap as mayor of this city by granting her petition to annul the Commission on Elections resolution canceling her certificate of candidacy.
In its decision promulgated June 3, the court ruled that Comelec gravely abused its discretion when it canceled Yap’s candidacy over questions concerning her residency, according to a statement from Yap’s office.
The court found that the evidence presented against Yap-Sulit, her married surname, failed to prove that she had abandoned her domicile in Tarlac or made a false representation in her COC.
The decision cited her longstanding ties to Tarlac, including her voter registration, government records, property interests, public service, and continuing personal and community connections.
The court also reiterated that residence for election purposes refers to domicile, and that temporary or intermittent absence does not automatically constitute abandonment.
Most importantly, the court upheld the choice made by Tarlac City voters.
‘The Court respects and indeed upholds the will of the electorate,’ the decision stated.
The ruling annulled the Comelec en banc resolution dated Oct. 22, 2025, and declared Yap-Sulit eligible to serve as mayor and upheld her proclamation following her victory in the 2025 elections.
Victory for Tarlac City voters
Yap welcomed the judgment as a victory not only for her administration but, more importantly, for the people who placed their trust in her leadership.
In her statement, she said:
‘This is a victory for every Tarlaqueño who stood by the truth and defended the sanctity of the people’s vote. The journey has been long and difficult, but we never lost faith in our institutions and in the justice of our cause. From the beginning, we maintained that I met the legal qualifications to serve and that the people of Tarlac City had freely expressed their choice.
‘Today, the Supreme Court has affirmed that mandate. I am deeply grateful to the justices for their careful and impartial review of the evidence and the law. The people have spoken, the law has prevailed, and our work continues.’
The Yap administration said it would intensify its work to improve public services, strengthen local economic opportunities, and support the welfare of Tarlac City residents.
Renewed public service
The residency challenge began after private respondents sought Yap’s disqualification from the 2025 mayoral race.
The Comelec Second Division initially dismissed the petition, but the Comelec en banc later reversed the ruling, canceled her certificate of candidacy and declared her ineligible to run.
Yap elevated the case to the Supreme Court, arguing that the Comelec disregarded substantial evidence of her domicile and longstanding ties to Tarlac City.
On Nov. 4, 2025, the Supreme Court issued a status quo ante order allowing her to continue performing her duties while the case was being resolved.
After reviewing the records and arguments, the court ruled that the evidence was insufficient to establish that Yap had abandoned her domicile
It also noted her three consecutive terms as governor of Tarlac and her deep personal, political, and community ties to the province.