Lord Allan Jay Velasco of the National Unity Party (NUP) was sworn in last Feb. 1, 2016 as the duly elected representative of the lone district of Marinduque after the Supreme Court denied with finality all appeals to stop his oath taking.
The high tribunal said in its ruling that Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and House Secretary General Marilyn Barua-Yap “are legally duty-bound to recognize Velasco as the duly elected Member of the House of Representatives for the Lone District of Marinduque in view of the ruling rendered by this Court and the Comelec’s compliance with the said ruling, now both final and executory.”
Belmonte administered the oath of office to Velasco, two days before the 16th Congress adjourned its session to prepare for the 2016 election campaign period. Velasco will have until June 30, 2016 to serve as representative of Marinduque before a new Congress take over.
Velasco took his oath following the disqualification of Regina Ongsiako Reyes as Marinduque representative due to questions on her citizenship.
Reyes’ name was deleted from the roll of members of the House of Representatives.
Majority leader Neptali Gonzales II said the House was informed by the Supreme Court through its entry of judgment on Velasco’s case that Reyes has never become a member of the House of Representatives, “and consequently, her name has been deleted in the roll of members.”
Velasco was accompanied by his mother, Rep. Lorna Velasco of the Ang Mata’y Alagaan partylist group during his oath-taking. He is the son of Supreme Court Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr.