Comelec headquarters in Intramuros, Manila. INQUIRER FILES
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) Second Division canceled the candidacy of a woman aspiring to become a representative of a Laguna district, favoring a petition questioning her use of a male nickname.
The poll body division rejected the certificate of candidacy (COC) of Winy “Ram” Villanueva Hernandez, who eyed a seat in Congress as representative of the 2nd District of Laguna via the May 2025 midterm elections. Hernandez filed her COC last October 6.
However, incumbent Laguna Gov. Ramil Hernandez, who also aims to become Laguna’s 2nd District representative in the lower chamber, raised questions over Winy’s candidacy. He filed a petition asking Comelec to declare Winy a nuisance candidate.
His move came after learning that Winy has never used the name “Ram” prior to the filing of her COC. He stressed that Winy has been known in her community as “Winy” or “Winnie” and that she only used “Ram” upon filing her COC. He even pointed out that the moniker she used in her COC is remarkably far from her first name and more similar to the first name of the incumbent Laguna governor.
“The sudden use of this new nickname appears to be a calculated and deliberate effort to mislead voters into believing that she is affiliated with or related to petitioner, thereby confusing the voters and distorting the election results,” Gov’ Hernandez said in his petition before the Comelec.
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“So, it may appear in the official ballots as: HERNANDEZ, RAM. Thus, confusing it with the petitioner’s name: ‘HERNANDEZ, RAMIL’. And another nuisance candidate: ‘HERNANDEZ, ROMEO’. Just like ‘RAM’, ROMEO is also a newly assumed nickname,” he continued.
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READ: Comelec officially declares 21 ‘nuisance’ senatoriables
He said at least two witnesses came forward and attested that they personally know Winy and that they all hail from Barangay Tuntungin Putho, Los Baños, Laguna.
The witnesses said in their sworn statements that the respondent was known in their place as “Win” and that even in her Facebook account, she uses the name “Winnie.”
They likewise declared that apart from respondent’s community in Purok 6, Tuntungin Putho, Los Baños, Laguna, Winy is unknown in their town, raising questions about her intent to run a serious campaign for congresswoman of the 2nd District of Laguna.
According to the Laguna governor, the Comelec Second Division declared that, “The rationale behind the prohibition against nuisance candidates and the disqualification of bets who have not manifested a bona fide intention to run for office, is easy to divine.”
READ: EXPLAINER: What is a nuisance candidate?
“The State has a compelling interest to ensure that its electoral exercises are rational, objective, and orderly.”
“WHEREFORE, premises considered, the Petition is GRANTED. Respondent WINY ‘RAM’ VILLANUEVA HERNANDEZ is hereby DECLARED a NUISANCE CANDIDATE.”
“Accordingly, the Certificate of Candidacy filed by WINY “RAM” VILLANUEVA HERNANDEZ for the position of Member, House of Representatives in the 12 May 2025 National and Local Elections [“2025 NLE”] is hereby DENIED DUE COURSE AND CANCELLED.”
Previously, the Comelec Second Division also declared Dante Aguilar Hernandez a nuisance candidate, after it was determined that he merely filed his candidacy to cause confusion among voters. He was likewise aiming to become a Laguna 2nd District representative
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In his COC, Dante Aguilar Hernandez declared “Romeo” as his nickname, which the camp of Laguna Gov. Ramil Hernandez said sounds similar to the incumbent official’s name.