The Commission on Elections has dismissed the election overspending case against former Laguna governor and action star Emilio Ramon “E.R.” Ejercito, clearing the way for his return to politics more than a decade after he was unseated.
Ejercito, who gained fame in local films under the screen name Jeorge Estregan, was accused of exceeding campaign spending limits during his 2013 gubernatorial run. The case was filed by political rivals Edgar San Luis and Rene Catarino.
In a 20-page resolution signed by Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia and six commissioners, the poll body formally dropped the complaint, citing the recommendation of its Law Department. The resolution was promulgated on Nov. 5, 2024, with the official notice issued two months later.
Ejercito, a former lead actor in action films and nephew of former President Joseph Estrada, was the only public official to be suspended among 370 overspending cases filed since 2013. He was removed from office in 2014 following a tense standoff between his supporters and law enforcement at the Laguna provincial capitol.
He previously served as Pagsanjan mayor from 2001 to 2010 before winning two terms as governor. With the case behind him, Ejercito has filed his candidacy for mayor of Pagsanjan in the upcoming May 12 elections.
