Manila, April 30 -- The Commission on Elections' (Comelec) First Division has approved the disqualification of congressional candidate Matt Erwin Florido from the May 12, 2025 elections (NLE) due to vote buying.

Florido, who seeks to represent the third district of Quezon in the House of Representatives, was accused of giving free transportation, meals, drinks, T-shirts, and PHP1,000 to the attendees of a gathering on April 6.

"There is substantial evidence that Respondent committed vote-buying during the 06 April 2025 event," the Comelec division said in its 11-page decision released on Wednesday.

The division also dismissed Florido's claim that the event was internal and exclusive to his campaign staff, and that the petitioners were ...