‘Row over House seat may trigger constitutional crisis’

MANILA, Philippines – Marinduque Rep. Regina Ongsiako-Reyes yesterday warned of a possible constitutional crisis over the reported order of the Supreme Court for Congress to swear in her rival – the son of SC Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco – as representative of her province.

Speaking through her lawyer, Harry Roque, Reyes referred to the SC order directing Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. to swear in Lord Allan Velasco, who lost to her in the 2013 local elections by some 4,000 votes.

Roque clarified SC spokesman Theodore Te only made an announcement that the high court ruled against Reyes even as he stressed that his client continues to be the lawful representative of Marinduque in the House of Representatives.

“No actual resolution has been issued by the Court neither have we received a resolution from them. Even if true, Rep. Reyes is entitled to file a motion for reconsideration within fifteen days from receipt of the Court’s resolution,” Roque said.

“Until the denial of that motion, Rep. Reyes continues to be the lawful representative of Marinduque in Congress,” he said.

Roque added a motion for reconsideration would be filed soon.

Reyes’ case stemmed from a citizenship issue that was filed before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET), chaired by the elder Velasco, who inhibited from the proceedings.

Roque said Congress, not just the Speaker, has to act as a collegial body in the remote event that Reyes has to be ousted from her post.

Roque said SC’s direct order to Belmonte as well as the order directly to the Office of the House Secretary General “appear to be politically motivated.”

“Because of the passion of a father to see his son as winner despite losing by a large number of 4,000 votes to current lawmaker Regina Reyes, Justice Velasco will plunge the country into a constitutional crisis,” Roque said.