Marinduque poll winner takes oath before Belmonte

MANILA, Philippines - Marinduque representative-elect Regina Reyes has taken her oath of office as a member of the incoming 16th Congress before Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr.

Belmonte administered the oath to Reyes on Wednesday at the Speaker’s office shortly before the House resumed its session. Reyes’ husband, outgoing Batangas Rep. Hermilando Mandanas, accompanied her.

She beat incumbent Rep. Lord Allan Jay Velasco by close to 4,000 votes. She obtained 52,209 votes.

Velasco has filed an election protest against her with the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET), which is headed by his father, Supreme Court Justice Presbitero Velasco.

He filed the protest after failing to get the provincial board of canvassers stop Reyes’ proclamation.

He is questioning the qualification of his opponent, claiming she is a dual citizen – an American and a Filipino – who has failed to renounce her American citizenship before seeking a congressional seat.

However, in a privilege speech before Congress adjourned for the election campaign in February, Mandanas said his wife gave up her US citizenship before filing her certificate of candidacy.

He said Reyes, being a lawyer, knows the requirements of the law.

Reyes is one of 31 elected incumbent and incoming House members facing election cases before the HRET.