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The Philippines
This Week in AsiaPolitics

Pro-China Philippine governor, Manuel Mamba, who opposes US drills, removed from office for illegal use of election funds

  • The Commission on Elections disqualified Manuel Mamba from serving his third term as governor of Cagayan province for illegally using public funds
  • The pro-China Mamba was tossed out of office just as joint military drills with Washington take place in his province

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Manuel Mamba has been removed as governor of the province of Cagayan. Photo: Provincial Government of Cagayan
Alan Robles
A provincial governor in the Philippines known for his pro-China views and opposition to cooperation with the US has been summarily tossed out of office, due to illegal use of funds during an election, just as joint military exercises involving Manila and Washington take place in his province.
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The Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced on Wednesday it had disqualified Manuel Mamba from serving his third term as governor of Cagayan province for illegally using public funds during the 2022 election period.

The same allegations had led Comelec’s Second Division to disqualify Mamba in December 2022. That decision was later overturned by a full meeting (en banc) of the commission due to technicalities related to the filing of the petition.

However, on April 16, the Supreme Court ruled the petition was filed on time and directed Comelec to once again address the matter. Eight days later, the commission ruled he was disqualified, and declared his position vacant.

Mamba said his legal team would file an appeal with Comelec and urged the people of Cagayan “to be calm and composed” as he would continue to serve as governor until a final decision was reached.

Some critics have suggested that Mamba was disqualified for not supporting the orders of President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s administration, which has become increasingly confrontational towards China, while also strengthening the Philippines’ defensive alliance with the United States.
A Filipino soldier fires a Javelin anti-tank weapon system during a live exercise as part of the annual US-Philippines joint military exercises called “Balikatan” on April 13, 2023. Photo: Reuters
A Filipino soldier fires a Javelin anti-tank weapon system during a live exercise as part of the annual US-Philippines joint military exercises called “Balikatan” on April 13, 2023. Photo: Reuters
Malou Tiquia, a political analyst and supporter of former president Rodrigo Duterte, recently posted on Facebook a list of provinces and cities, including Cagayan, with a caption saying “these are the provinces where governors/mayors were suspended, national funding removed, or removed from office because they didn’t follow the order asked of them”.
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