TARLAC CITY – The legal counsel of Mayor Susan Yap asserted she remains the “duly elected and lawful mayor” of Tarlac City. Here’s the full statement of the Sardillo Sardillo Salom Law Office issued on Oct. 30:
Mayor Yap remains to be the duly elected and lawful mayor of Tarlac City.
The so-called oathtaking ceremony conducted today, October 30, 2025, by Vice Mayor KT Go and Councilor Jojo Briones is devoid of any legal effect.
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) merely issued a Certificate of Finality and an Entry of Judgment.
To be clear, NO WRIT OF EXECUTION OR ORDER FOR IMPLEMENTATION HAS BEEN ISSUED AND SERVED. Under established legal procedures, such an order must be properly transmitted and served by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) before any assumption of office may be lawfully effected. Absent such lawful service, any purported assumption or oath-taking is PREMATURE, invalid, and without legal force or authority.
This act constitutes a clear disregard of due process and established legal procedure, and can only be viewed as an attempt to undermine stability and lawful governance in Tarlac City.
We call on all concerned to respect the rule of law and allow the proper legal processes to take their course.
Punto News Team/FB photograb
