Tarlac vice mayor to take over as mayor after Comelec ruling
Tarlac City Vice Mayor Katrina Theresa “KT” Angeles is set to assume the mayoralty after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) ruling disqualifying incumbent Susan Areno Yap-Sulit became final and executory, with no temporary restraining order (TRO) issued by the Supreme Court. The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will implement the decision.
TARLAC CITY — Vice Mayor Katrina Theresa “KT” Angeles is set to assume the post of mayor following the finality of a Commission on Elections (Comelec) decision disqualifying Mayor Susan Areno Yap-Sulit.
Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia confirmed on Wednesday that the en banc ruling—which annulled Yap-Sulit’s proclamation for failing to meet the mandatory one-year residency requirement—has become final and executory after the poll body did not receive a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the Supreme Court within the five-day period.
“We have yet to receive a TRO. Therefore, the process of issuing the entry of judgment and certificate of finality will have to proceed,” Garcia said in a statement.
Susan Areno Yap-Sulit
Under the ruling, Angeles will succeed Yap-Sulit. The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will implement the Comelec’s decision.
READ: Tarlac City Mayor Yap disputes Comelec’s DQ order: Respect public’s will
During the proceedings, barangay officials from Yap-Sulit’s claimed residence denied that she was a bona fide resident of the area—a key factor in the Comelec’s finding that she failed to meet the residency requirement under the Local Government Code.
In the May 2025 elections, Yap-Sulit garnered 101,067 votes (44.08%) against then-mayoral candidate Vic Angeles of PFP, who received 97,531 votes (42.54%)—a slim margin of 1.54 percent.
Angeles won by a wide margin with 126,145 votes (55.02%).
The Comelec en banc cited the Supreme Court ruling in Velasco vs. Comelec, stating that “the will of the people cannot prevail over the rule of law.”
“A candidate may have been elected, but if they are not qualified, their candidacy is void from the start,” Garcia said.
Yap-Sulit said she will exhaust all legal remedies against the decision.
Angeles, known for her collaborative leadership style, has served as vice mayor since June 2025.
“Public service is not about position—it’s about purpose. I am prepared to continue serving, guided by integrity and love for our city,” she said.
The transition is expected to proceed once the Comelec issues the certificate of finality and the DILG implements the succession order.
