2026 Political Law, Question 11

Are Mayor Laureta and Mayor Ruiz eligible to run for mayor in their respective LGUs in the next elections?

• ABoth Mayor Laureta and Mayor Ruiz are eligible, as recall elections and city conversions create valid legal interruptions under the Local Government Code.
• BMayor Laureta is eligible because her loss in the regular election interrupted her continuity of service, while Mayor Ruiz is ineligible because the conversion of a municipality into a city does not break the three-term limit rule.
• CMayor Laureta is ineligible because her recall tenure counts as her third term, while Mayor Ruiz is eligible because the new city possesses a distinct corporate existence.
• DBoth Mayor Laureta and Mayor Ruiz are ineligible, as both have effectively served three terms over their respective territorial jurisdictions.

Under Adormeo v. COMELEC and Socrates v. COMELEC, losing a regular election creates an involuntary interruption in continuity of service, and winning a subsequent recall election does not constitute an immediate reelection to a fourth consecutive term; thus, Mayor Laureta is eligible. Conversely, under Latasa v. COMELEC, the conversion of a municipality into a city does not break the continuity of service of an incumbent mayor for purposes of the three-term limit rule because the territorial jurisdiction and electorate remain essentially the same; thus, Mayor Ruiz is ineligible.