Residents arrive to cast their votes for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections in Barangay Rizal, a newly designated barangay in Taguig City on October 30, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News 

MANILA — Residents of the 10 barangays who were forced to be recognized as Taguig voters following a Supreme Court ruling can vote in the 2025 elections, but not in the congressional race, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Tuesday.

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Such decision was arrived at by the Commission en Banc in their recent meeting, according to Comelec chairman George Erwin Garcia.

 “Hanggang sa kasalukuyan, hindi po alam ng Comelec kung saang distrito kayo sa dalawang distrito ng Taguig kabilang... Sapagka't wala pong kapangyarihan ang Comelec na gawin 'yun, ang may kapangyarihan na magsabi kung anong mga barangay ang nasa isang distrito ay Kongreso,” Garcia explained in an interview.

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The two districts were created way ahead of the Supreme Court ruling that separated the EMBO areas from Makati, the Comelec chief stressed.

“Kaya po hindi po kayo makakaboto para sa inyong representante o congressman,” Garcia said.  

Garcia clarified that EMBO voters can still vote for national, mayoralty, vice mayoralty and city council candidates.

Meanwhile, the three remaining barangays in Makati representing the city’ second district can still vote even if the district has fewer voters, Garcia said.

Garcia said the Comelec decided to make such a ruling to give time to concerned parties to question the legality of their decision before the proper court or for Congress to act on the matter.

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“Kung bigla pong magkakaroon ng batas na magsasabing i-abolish ang second district of Makati at magke-create ng pangatlong distrito sa Taguig, madali naman po kaming maggawa ng panibagong ballot face para po dyan,” he said.

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