Poll body declares 'winner' in 2022 Cotabato mayoral race

COTABATO CITY — The Commission on Elections has reportedly declared lawyer Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi as the "reelected mayor" of Cotabato City following the May 2022 local elections.

It was Guiani-Sayadi herself who first announced, via Facebook on Wednesday night, April 23, the Comelec’s reported ruling declaring her the winner of Cotabato City’s May 2022 mayoral race, not Mohammad Matabalao, who was previously proclaimed and has been serving as the city’s chief executive since.

Matabalao confirmed on Thursday morning, April 24, that he had received a copy of the Comelec decision but emphasized that he will remain as mayor, noting the ruling is not yet final and executory.

He added that they will exhaust all legal remedies to contest the Comelec’s decision on the electoral protest filed against him.

“We will file a motion for reconsideration. That ruling did not order me to step down and relinquish my post to anybody,” he said.

Guiani-Sayadi had posted on Facebook a copy of the resolution from the Second Division of the Comelec on her protest against Matabalao’s proclamation, which her camp had claimed was fraudulent.

"I have not perpetrated any electoral fraud during the May 2022 elections," Matabalao said.

After Matabalao's proclamation as elected mayor during the May 2022 polls, Guiani-Sayadi sought a recount of the votes from several polling precincts where Matabalao reportedly garnered a big vote lead that she contested, through her lawyers, before the Comelec.