With finality, SC says Marinduque rep is disqualified

Marinduque Rep. Regina Ongsiako Reyes: Disqualification with finality INQUIRER.net file photo

MANILA, Philippines—The Supreme Court on Tuesday affirmed with finality the Commission on Election’s disqualification of Marinduque Rep. Regina Ongsiako Reyes from participating in the last May elections.

Court spokesman Theodore Te said the high court, in its en banc meeting Tuesday, denied the second motion for reconsideration filed by Reyes.

“The decision of the court is now final,” Te said at a press briefing.

The high court’s decision came nearly six months after Reyes withdrew her petition and claimed her case was now with the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET), the body that handles election cases.

The high court had earlier upheld Comelec’s disqualification of Reyes—whom the House had already recognized as the duly elected representative of Marinduque. The high court’s earlier action had effectively made Lord Allen Velasco, the son of Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco, the winner of the lone congressional district of Marinduque.

Reyes had accused Velasco of wielding his influence in court to get the ruling that was penned by Associate Justice Jose Perez. Velasco had denied Reyes’ allegation. Reyes then filed a motion for reconsideration on the high court ruling and asked for the inhibition of Perez for his alleged close ties with Velasco.

Reyes’ lawyer Harry Roque said Tuesday the high court’s decision was “highly unusual because it abandoned a long line of jurisdiction and it benefits a son of a sitting justice.”

“But this does not disturb the HRET case because it only upheld the Comelec decision on the issue of disqualification,” Roque said, adding they were confident that the HRET will eventually rule in favor of his client.

The House leadership, which recognizes Reyes as representative of Marinduque, still has to comment on the Supreme Court decision.