Marinduque Congressional race: SC upholds poll winner’s disqualification

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday affirmed the disqualification of Regina Reyes in the Marinduque congressional race despite her victory.

In full-court session yesterday, the magistrates voted 7-4 to dismiss her petition questioning a ruling of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) before the May 13 polls that cancelled her certificate of candidacy for her failure to renounce her American citizenship as required of candidates with dual citizenships.

Seven justices – Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno and Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Mariano del Castillo, Lucas Bersamin, Roberto Abad, Jose Perez and Bienvenido Reyes – agreed with the Comelec findings and junked Reyes’ petition for lack of merit.

Four justices dissented from the ruling – Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and Associate Justice Arturo Brion, Mario Victor Leonen and Martin Villarama Jr. – believing that Reyes’ petition must not be junked instantly.
They said the SC should first seek the Comelec’s comment before ruling on the case.

Meanwhile, Associate Justices Jose Mendoza, Estela Perlas-Bernabe and Presbitero Velasco Jr. inhibited from the case, while Associate Justice Diosdado Peralta was not present in the deliberations.

Velasco excused himself from the case since his son, incumbent Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, is Reyes’ opponent in the May 13 polls.

Reyes, daughter of Marinduque Gov. Carmencita Reyes and sister of former congressman Edmundo Reyes Jr., ran under the Liberal Party.

Local poll officials proclaimed her as the winner after defeating the younger Velasco.