The Supreme Court en banc has affirmed the proclamation of Susan Yap as mayor of Tarlac City, granting her petition to annul the Commission on Elections (Comelec) resolution canceling her certificate of candidacy.

In its June 3 decision, the high court ruled that the Comelec gravely abused its discretion in canceling Yap’s candidacy over residency issues. It found that the evidence failed to prove that Yap-Sulit, her married surname, had abandoned her domicile in Tarlac or made a false representation in her certificate of candidacy.

The court cited her longstanding ties to Tarlac, including voter registration, government records, property interests, public service, and continuing personal and community connections. It also stressed that election residence refers to domicile, and temporary or intermittent absence does not automatically mean abandonment.