A WELL-KNOWN online personality aspiring to be Davao City's next mayor has been disqualified from the 2025 local elections.
Roweno Rosales Caballes, popularly known as "Boy Isog Sarge," announced on Saturday, January 11, 2025, that his Certificate of Candidacy (COC) was rejected by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) due to non-compliance with the required COC form under Comelec Resolution No. 11045.
Caballes explained that Section 35 of the resolution specifies that the COC form for the 2025 Midterm Elections should include Annexes "K to K-9," which were not attached to the form he filed.
Comelec notified him on December 10, 2024, that his COC did not meet their prescribed form. He received the letter on December 27. Despite filing a Motion for Reconsideration on January 3, 2025, his appeal was denied, resulting in his exclusion from the official ballot.
“Sa katapusan ang atong kaakuhan sa pagsalmot sa Eleksyon 2025 wala nay katumanan ug dili na kita makapaambit sa atoang politikanhong barug sa mga isyu sa katawhan (In the end, our participation in the 2025 Election will no longer come to fruition, and we will no longer be able to share our political stance on issues that affect the people),” he stated.
Caballes expressed disappointment over his disqualification but thanked his supporters, reaffirming his commitment to public service and advocacy on key issues like food security, employment, and social services.
During the COC filing, Caballes shared his dream of running for mayor, noting that his candidacy wasn’t solely motivated by his online presence.
Meanwhile, five candidates will compete for the mayoral position, as listed on the official ballot posted on Comelec’s website. Among them is former president Rodrigo Duterte, who served as Davao City mayor for over 20 years. He has since remained undefeated in national elections.
Also running is Karlo Alexei Nograles, son of the late House Speaker Prospero "Boy" Nograles, Duterte’s former rival. Karlo has served as Davao City’s First District Representative and as Cabinet Secretary under Duterte who also appointed him as chairperson of the Civil Service Commission (CSC).
Religious leader Bishop Rod Cubos, founder of Christ the Healer International Missions Movement (CHIMM), is also on the list, responding to his members' call to run.
The other mayoral candidates are Jonathan Julaine and Joselito Tan.
For vice mayor, the candidates include incumbent Davao City Mayor Sebastian "Baste" Duterte, incumbent councilor Bernie Al-ag, Marcos Alcebar, and Oyie Soriano-Barcena. Baste has stepped aside for his father's candidacy after ending his political career while Al-ag, a former Duterte ally, is challenging the outgoing mayor after a public fallout with the administration. RGL