Taguig City – A Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Taguig has ruled to exclude former mayor Lino Cayetano and his wife Fille Cayetano from the official voters list in Barangay Usuan, citing failure to meet residency requirements and untimely filing of their petition for inclusion.
The 14-page decision by RTC Branch 153 reversed an earlier ruling by the Metropolitan Trial Court (MTC) that had allowed the couple’s inclusion. The RTC cited The Voter’s Registration Act of 1996, which prohibits petitions for voter inclusion within 105 days before an election.
“The decision is immediately final and executory. No motion for reconsideration shall be entertained,” the court stated.
The case stemmed from the Election Registration Board’s (ERB) rejection of the Cayetanos’ voter registration transfer in October 2024. The RTC also ruled that the couple failed to prove six months of residency in their declared barangay before the May 12, 2025 elections.
In response, Lino Cayetano said they would appeal the decision, expressing confidence in seeking justice.