ER Ejercito No Longer Mayor of Pagsanjan
ER EJERCITO – The actor and politician is no longer the mayor of Pagsanjan, Laguna, as of Monday, December 1, 2025.
His removal from office was confirmed on December 2, when the local mayor’s office announced that Vice Mayor Jan Garcia has assumed the role of acting mayor, while Councilor Cocoy Fernandez has been named the new vice mayor. Staff at the mayor’s office stated that no official statement had been released regarding Ejercito’s sudden departure and that the proper authorities were managing the transition.
Ejercito himself has not commented, and his current whereabouts are unknown. Observers noted that his official Facebook page has not been updated, which led many to believe he was still serving as mayor.
The leadership change follows the issuance of an arrest warrant against Ejercito by the Supreme Court First Division on November 7, 2025. The warrant is related to a case under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act from his previous term as mayor, from 2001 to 2010. The case involves the awarding of a contract to First Rapid Care Ventures, an unlicensed insurance company owned by Marilyn Bruel, without proper public bidding.
In March 2025, Ejercito and Bruel were found guilty, with Ejercito sentenced to six years and one month to eight years in prison, along with a permanent ban from holding public office. Despite this ruling, Ejercito ran for mayor again and won in the May 12, 2025 local elections. However, his tenure lasted only five months before the arrest warrant was executed.
After the warrant was issued, the Sandiganbayan directed the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Philippine National Police, and the National Bureau of Investigation to arrest Ejercito at any time. This marks a sudden change in the leadership of Pagsanjan, with Acting Mayor Garcia and the new vice mayor now handling local governance while the legal case continues.