Section 25Sec./Art. 25

Permanent Vacancy in the Offices of the City Mayor and City Vice Mayor. (a) If a permanent vacancy occurs in the office of the City Mayor, the City Vice Mayor shall become the City Mayor. If a permanent vacancy occurs in the office of the City Vice Mayor, the highest ranking Sangguniang Panlungsod member or, in case of the latter's permanent incapacity, the second highest ranking Sangguniang Panlungsod member shall become the City Mayor or City Vice Mayor, as the case may be. Subsequent vacancies in the said offices shall be filled automatically by the other Sangguniang Panlungsod members according to their ranking as defined under the Local Government Code of 1991, as amended.

(b) The successors, as defined herein, shall serve only the unexpired terms of their predecessors.

(c) For purposes of this Act, a permanent vacancy arises when an elective local official fills in a higher vacant office, refuses to assume office, fails to qualify, dies, is removed from office, voluntarily resigns or is otherwise permanently incapacitated to discharge the functions of the office.

(d) For purposes of succession as provided in this Act, ranking in the Sangguniang Panlungsod shall be determined on the basis of the proportion of votes obtained by each winning candidate to the total number of registered voters in the City in the immediately preceding local election.