Comelec proclaims Benny Abante Jr. as Manila's 6th District rep

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc officially declared Bienvenido 'Benny' Abante Jr. as the duly elected representative of Manila's 6th District on Monday, followed by a formal proclamation ceremony in Ermita on Tuesday.

Manila City's board of canvassers proclaimed Abante as the district's representative in a ceremony attended by hundreds of supporters who congratulated him on his victory.

Comelec Chairperson George Garcia stated that this certificate allows Abante to be proclaimed and assume his post in the House of Representatives, noting there was no restraining order from the Supreme Court against their decision within five days.

The Comelec-Manila administered the proclamation after issuing a certificate of finality and entry of judgment on Joey Chua's disqualification, nullifying Uy’s proclamation as the congressional winner in the city district.

In its decision, the Comelec dismissed Uy's motion for reconsideration for failure to prove allegations that he is not a natural-born citizen.

Following his proclamation, Abante called for unity and service amid the challenges faced by families in the district, urging constituents to set aside partisanship for their needs.