Jalosjos files bid for mayoralty

ZAMBOANGA CITY—A few minutes before noon yesterday, former Zamboanga del Norte representative Romeo Jalosjos, along with his entire slate under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), trooped to the city elections office and filed their respective certificates of candidacy (COCs).

Jalosjos, with his lineup by his side, then raised his COC for the mayoral race, which was stamped and signed as accepted by election supervisor Joseph Ian Tria.

Jalosjos later told reporters he was very happy that he was able to file his documents before the poll body. “So I suppose there is reason to celebrate. We’ve achieved our first step,” he said.

Jalojos admitted that he was becoming frustrated a few days ago “because of early problems, because they (opponents) were trying to block me through propaganda, they will not allow me to file.”

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) earlier trashed Jalosjos’ bid to register as voter of Barangay Tetuan here, where he has been residing for some time.

Tria had earlier said the Comelec decided to act against Jalosjos’ bid based on his conviction for rape. “We are not questioning his residency. The board decided to disapprove his application based on section 11-a of Republic Act No. 8189,”  said Tria, who also chairs the 2nd district’s election registration board.

Sentence commutation

Under the said law, Tria said a person who has been sentenced by final judgment to suffer imprisonment of not less than one year could only vote five years after serving his sentence.

Jalosjos was freed in March 2009 after completing a commuted 16-year sentence for the rape of an 11-year-old girl. “He can vote five years after serving his sentence,” Tria said.

Under the law, a freed convict is also disqualified from seeking public office for life unless granted absolute pardon by the president. In Jalosjos’ case, then president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo only commuted his sentence to 11 years upon the recommendation of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).

The BJMP cited his “good conduct” while in detention in batting for the commutation of his 16-year original sentence.

When he learned of the Comelec’s decision rejecting his application for registration as voter, Jalosjos sought the Supreme Court’s help. The case is still pending before the High Court.

Jalosjos’ lawyer Giovanni Luistro said: “other parties kept saying weeks ago that we could not file due to certain issues. Now we proved them wrong, the COC was received by an election officer.”

“We are just waiting for the result of the court decision,” he said.

Tria said they could not do anything but accept Jalosjos’ COC as their role was purely ministerial.

“We are not in the position to reject (Jalosjos’) COC because it’s only the national office who will decide on it,” Tria said.

Jalosjos is running against Rep. Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar (first district) and Rep. Erico Basilio Fabian (second district). Julie Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao