The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has officially canceled the Certificate of Candidacy (COC) of Basaron Muksan Burahan, who was set to run for mayor in the town of Pata, Sulu, just weeks before the May 12, 2025 National and Local Elections.
The decision was based on Memorandum No. 202512-1, signed by COMELEC Manila Director Consuelo Diola and addressed to Director Divina Blas-Perez of the Election and Barangay Affairs Department, dated April 14, 2025.
According to Atty. Vidzfar Julie, provincial election supervisor of the COMELEC Sulu Provincial Office, the cancellation was due to Burahan not being a registered voter of Pata, Sulu. Julie explained that despite the disqualification, Burahan’s name will still appear on the official ballot since the Ballot Face Templates have already been finalized. Any votes cast for him will be considered stray or invalid.
Earlier, COMELEC Manila also canceled the candidacy of Belshezzar Abubakar, who was vying for the mayoral seat in Panglima Estino, Sulu, after it was discovered that his voter registration had become inactive for failing to vote in two consecutive elections. This decision was based on a separate memorandum issued on March 27, 2025.
With these cancellations, Abdurauf Burahan in Pata and Benshar Estino in Panglima Estino are now left unopposed in the upcoming elections.
Pata is among the areas of concern for the upcoming elections and has been placed under the “orange category” by the authorities, along with Panamao, Talipao, and Parang, due to the anticipated intense political rivalry in these areas.