Actor Richard Gomez, who is running as congressman of the 4th district of Leyte under the Liberal Party (LP), was disqualified by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Wednesday due to lack of residency requirements.

“In an instant case, the respondent has not presented sufficient proof that would establish his ties to Ormoc City. The absence of such ties indicates his lack of intention to stay permanently in the said locality,” read the Comelec’s First Division resolution.

“Having no substantial ties to Ormoc City, it can hardly be expected from him to be cognizant and sensitive to the needs of the locality. This defeats the spirit of representation. This is the very evil which the residency requirement sought to avoid,” the resolution continued.

The Comelec’s First Division also noted the following: that Gomez and his wife, Lucy Torres-Gomez, continue to practice their profession in Manila; that he is still doing business in Manila; and that he and his family continue to stay at their house on Colgate St., East Greenhills in Mandaluyong City.

Gomez, according to the Commission, also failed to prove that he has already abandoned his Manila residence despite being a registered voter in Ormoc City.

It was last December when Buenaventura Juntilla, a former barangay chairman in Ormoc, filed the disqualification case against Gomez, saying he is not a bona fide resident of Ormoc.

Under the Local Government Code, local candidates must be able to meet the one-year residency requirement in order to be qualified to run in a constituency.