Velasco sworn in as House member

MANILA, Philippines – Two days before Congress adjourns, Lord Allan Velasco was sworn in last night as a member of the House of Representatives following a Supreme Court (SC) ruling declaring him the rightful representative of the lone district of Marinduque.

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. swore in Velasco after the SC ordered the lawmaker’s installation and the removal of Regina Ongsiako-Reyes, who was earlier disqualified by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for her citizenship. 

Velasco is a member of the National Unity Party while Reyes is from the Liberal Party.

Majority Leader and Mandaluyong City Rep. Neptali Gonzales II moved for Velasco’s inclusion as a member of the House. 

“Her name has been deleted from the roll of Congress,” Gonzales said referring to Reyes.

Reyes won by a margin of at least 4,000 votes against Velasco, but the Comelec ruled she was not qualified to run. A case against her was lodged before the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET) shortly after the 2013 elections. 

Velasco is a son of SC Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco, who chairs the HRET, and AMA party-list Rep. Lorna Velasco.

Velasco’s being the chairman of the HRET and member of the high court were among the issues raised by Reyes’ lawyers in opposing her disqualification case.