House asked to delist Ongsiako-Reyes as Marinduque lawmaker

Marinduque Rep. Regina Reyes. INQUIRER.NET FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Lord Allan Jay Velasco, son of Supreme Court Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco, on Wednesday asked the House of Representatives to delist Regina Ongsiako-Reyes as Marinduque Representative and respect the Supreme Court’s decision that affirmed her disqualification in the election last May.

Velasco, in his letter to House Speaker Feliciano “Sonny” Belmonte Jr. , said the high court’s ruling already became final after it dismissed Reyes’ second motion for reconsideration.

Reyes was assailing the high court’s jurisdiction saying it was the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET) which should have ruled over her case.

But Velasco said Reyes should have filed her appeal with the HRET within 15 days from receipt of the Commission on Election’s ruling disqualifying her from running in the elections.

“Ms. Reyes was the one who invoked the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court when she filed the Petition for Certiorari before the Supreme Court…She cannot now assail the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and insists that it is the HRET that has the authority to settle the controversies, especially after she received an unfavorable decision from the Supreme Court,” he said.

He also argued that the ruling on Wigberto R. Tañada vs. Comelec, where the Supreme Court held that HRET already has jurisdiction to determine the issues concerning the conduct of canvass and the resulting proclamation, cannot apply in their case.

He said in the earlier case, Comelec decided on the case after Tañada’s rival, Angelina Tan, was proclaimed. In theirs, Comelec already disqualified Reyes before she was proclaimed by the provincial board of canvassers.

“I request that I be allowed to assume the position at the earliest possible time to prevent prejudice to the interests of my constituents in Marinduque,” he appealed.

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