Sa Laban ni Congw. Ate Gina Reyes at Allan Velasco? Sinong Talo?

Bukas nakatakdang pag desisyonan ng House of Representative Electoral Tribunal o HRET ang usapin ukol sa kaso ng ating Congresswoman Ate Gina Reyes at sa talunang si Allan Velasco.

Nakakatuwang isipin na hanggang sa ngayon ay hindi parin matanggap ni Allan Velasco na hindi na siya gusto ng mamamayang Marinduqueño, noong natalo siya ng higit kumulang na Apat na Libong Boto laban kay Congresswoman Ate Gina Reyes. Nakakatuwa ding isipin kung gaano kakapal ang mukha nito upang hindi IRESPETO ang naging boses ng kanyang boss – ang mga Marinduqueño!

Noong nakaraang linggo ay lumabas sa mga pahayagan ang di umano’y pagkalat ng Desisyon sa mga miyembro ng HRET at ng House of Representative na magiging pinal na ang desisyon sa pagkaka diskwalipika sa nanalong Kongresista.

KAWALAN NG HUSTISYA

Anu na kaya ang nangyari sa Maguindano Massacre? Kamusta na kaya ang paggulong ng kasong ito? Halos mag lilimang taon na noong nangyari ito, ngunit hanggang sa ngayon ay hindi parin nakakamit ng 58 pamilya ang kanilang hustistya.

Sa mga kaso kaya ng dating Pangulong Gloria Macapagal Arroyo? Anu na kaya ang nangyari? Nagkaroon na rin kaya ng desisyon sa kanyang patong patong na plunder case?

Ilan lamang po yan sa mga halimbawa kung gaano katagal ang gulong ng kaso sa ating bansa. Kaya nakakagulat na sa usapin ni Congresswoman Ate Gina Reyes at Allan Velasco ay tila nailagay ito sa 

EXPRESS LANE.

Nakakagulat na dahil lamang sa isang BLOG na ginamit bilang nag-iisa at tanging ebidensya ay kinatigan na agad ito ng COMELEC, COMELEC EN BANC, Supreme Court at ngayon ng HRET. Na ni minsan ay hindi nagkaroon ng kahit anung imbestigasyon, pag lalatag at pagpiprisinta ng mga ebidensya o hearing ngunit nagkaroon na agad ito ng desisyon.

Na kahit mismo ang isang mahistrado mula sa Supreme Court na si Justice Antonio Brion ay nagulat sa bilis ng pagusad ng kasong ito.  

PALABRA DE HONOR

Kung si Justice Presbitero Velasco ang inyong tatanungin, wala sa kanyang bokabularyo ang salitang ito. Sa kapal ng kanyang mukha ay hindi niya nagawang magbitiw bilang Chairman ng HRET upang kanyang mahokus-pokus at maniobrahin ang kakahinatnan ng kaso ng kanyang anak na si Allan Velasco.

Maliwanag pa sa sikat ng araw na isang CONFLICT OF INTEREST ito kahit na anung pag iinhibit pa ang kanyang gawin.

Bilang isa sa pinakamakapangyarihang tao sa Kataas taasang Hukuman ay walang duda na kayang kaya niyang maimpluwensyahan ang mga taong may kaugnay sa kasong ito.

Paano kaya niya nasisikmura ang mga ito gayong isa siya sa mga kapitapitagang mahistrado ng Supreme Court?

BOSES NG MARINDUQEÑO

Mahigit isang taon na noong naglakad ng pagkalayo layo ang ating mga kababayan para lamang pumunta sa kanikanilang mga presinto, pumila ng pagkahaba haba at nakipag siksikan habang inaantay ang kanilang pagkakataon, tiniis ang init at gutom para lamang maka-boto.

Sana naman ay maisip ito ng mga taong hanggang sa ngayon ay hindi mataggap ang kanilang pagkatalo. Mga taong ganid sa kapangyarihan na gagawin ang lahat ng bagay para sa kanilang pansariling interes. Gagamitin ang kapangyarihang ipinagkaloob sa kanila mismo ng taung bayan upang impuwensyahan at maniobrahin ang boses ng taong bayan.

Dahil kung anu man ang magiging kahihinatnan ng kasong ito sa HRET, wala kina Congresswoman Ate Gina Reyes o Allan Velasco ang talo, kundi ang halos Isang Daang Libong Marinduqueñong  bumoto na naniwalang magkakaroon ng PAGBABAGO!


Para sa naging Privilege Speech ni Congw. Ate Gina Reyes, mababasa dito (Privilege Speech)

HOKUS POKUS!

Halos nakaka-kalahating termino na ang ating Kongreso ngunit "Never Say Die" parin ang drama ng mag-amang Velasco at hanggang sa ngayon ay hindi parin nila matanggap ang kanilang pagkatalo!

Kahapon ay may mga naglabasang mga artikulo sa iba't ibang pahayagan na kumakalat di umano ang Desisyon ng House of Representative Electoral Tribunal (HRET) para sa kaso nila Congresswoman Regina Reyes at Allan Velasco.

Naloko na! Parang premature baby lang na wala pa sa kabuwanan ay lumabas na agad!

Dahil sa August 28 pa dapat maglalabas ng desisyon ang HRET sa kahihinatnan ng kasong ito. Maliwanag na may pag mamani-obra at halatang hindi pinag aralang mabuti ang mga ebidesya na iprinisinta ng magkabilang panig!

Ebidesya 

Para lamang sa kaalamanan ng lahat, ang tanging ebidensya lamang na iharap ng panig ni Allan Velasco ay isang artikulo mula sa blog ni Eliseio Obligacion na alam naman nating lahat na empleyado at sinuswelduhan gamit ang pera ng taong-bayan noong nakaraang termino ng dating kongresista. Ni walang sapat na katibayan ang akusasyong ito kaya't nakakapag takang pinanigan ito ng COMELEC lalong lalo na ang Korte Suprema!

Pag mamani-obra

Hindi rin lingid sa kaalamanan ng lahat na ang ama ng dating kongresista ay isa sa mga makapangyarihang tao sa pinaka mataas na sangay ng hudikatura na may kapal ng mukha at tapang ng sikmurang maki-alam sa kahihinatnan ng kaso, kaya walang duda na tinaguriang "Hoodlum in Robe" ng kanyang mga kasama sa Korte Suprema. Bukod dito, siya rin ang nakaupong Chairman ng HRET kaya walang kaduda-dudang may hokus pokus sa desisyong ito.

Halos isang taon mula noong nagsalita ang ating mga kababayang Marinduqueño ukol sa usaping ito. Humigit kumulang na "Apat na Libong boto" ang nilamang ni Congresswoma Regina Reyes noong nakaraang halalalan, na panalo ultimo sa banyang sinilangan ni Velasco. 

Sana naway magkaroon naman ng kahit konting kahihiyan ang mag-amang ito at irespeto ang boses ng mga Marinduqueño! Hanggat hindi nila natatangap ang kanilang pagkatalo, sa huli ang taong bayan ang talo!

Battle royale between Regina Reyes and Lord Allan Velasco on eve of HRET meet.

The battle royale in the House between incumbent Marinduque Rep. Gina Ongsiako Reyes and defeated rival Lord Allan Velasco is far from over and complicating ramifications involve the Supreme Court where Velasco’s father, Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco, is a member as well as the chair of the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET).

To refresh you readers’ memory, the provincial board of canvassers of Marinduque proclaimed Reyes as rightful winner in 2013 and she was proclaimed in a mass-swearing in by no less than the President at Malacanang as well as by Speaker Belmonte at the opening of Congress in July of 2013. Since then Reyes has sat as a member of the House.

The first complication came in when Comelec began questioning her assumption into office, based on the claim on an anonymous blogger that Reyes allegedly is not a Filipino citizen and in fact uses an American passport. On this basis Comelec proclaimed Velasco winner. Reyes has fought this  issue of her alleged US citizenship and interestingly, Comelec Chair Sixto Brillantes himself filed a dissenting opinion stating that evidence on hand vs. Reyes (from the unnamed blogger) is mere hearsay.  

XXX

In answer to this issue, the Reyes camp asserts that Sec. 17, Art. VI, the “Legislative Department,” of the Constitution provides that all questions pertaining to the election of House members fall under the jurisdiction of the HRET. This constitutional principle has been upheld over the past year, enabling Reyes to stay in office.

Recently, however, in anticipation of convening of HRET for the second regular session of the 16th Congress this coming Aug. 28, a “draft decision” is being circulated among HRET members, allegedly prepared by a prominent SC justice-member of the HRET (a copy was sent to Reyes by a concerned House member). The Reyes camp alleges that this “draft decision” aims to convince Comelec and the SC to disqualify her in favor of Justice Velasco's son. Thus, it allegedly seeks "to precondition and influence the disposition by the other (HRET) members” of (this) case."

article from: 
POLITICAL TIDBITS
by BELINDA OLIVARES - CUNANAN

Marinduque lawmaker hits attempts to oust her

MANILA, Philippines - Marinduque Rep. Regina Reyes on Friday denounced what she described as attempts to influence members of the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET) to unseat her over a pending poll protest.

In a statement, Reyes said the HRET would hear her case on Aug. 28, but a draft decision is allegedly circulating among HRET members disqualifying her in favor of her rival, former congressman Lord Allan Velasco.

Velasco is the son of Supreme Court Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco, who chairs the HRET.

Reyes did not give details on how the purported draft was circulated, but claimed it was penned by an SC justice with the HRET.

Other members of the HRET are SC Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta and Lucas Bersamin, and Reps. Franklin Bautista, Joselito Andrew Mendoza, Wilfrido Mark Enverga, Luzviminda Ilagan, Ma. Theresa Bonoan and Jerry Treñas.

Reyes said a copy of the draft was given to her by a member of the House whom she refused to identify.

“This incident comes on the heels of a rumor that says a few members of the HRET were wined and dined in New York by a close relative of the Velascos,” she said.

A statement from the Philippine Consul General’s office said the HRET members visited the New York State board of elections and the Schenectady County in Albany to learn about their election rules and procedures in an automated system.

Reyes urged HRET members not to be swayed by what she described as “immoral moves of her rivals and their cohorts.”

She appealed to the HRET to allow her to testify and present evidence to prove she accomplished all requirements needed in the Marinduque congressional race.

The case against Reyes stemmed from a complaint alleging she is a US citizen.

To read more: PhilStar

A Special Occurrence On Sunday Evening

(An Excerpt...)

Diocesan Shrine. 6:00 p.m.

It was just after the procession, the sun had already set through the sky remained illuminated by the vibrant colors of dusk. I was sprinkling the people with holy water, and for some good reason, I noticed that they were shouting and saying goodbye while looking at the direction towards the Sacred Heart Pastoral Center, the residence of the Bishop of the Diocese.

I thought that their hands were just trying to reach out for the holy water I was blessing them with.

But moments afterwards when I had completed my task, people began telling me about a miraculous thing they saw. I didn't see it myself. But a lot of people said that they witnessed a special occurrence like an image of the Mahal na Birhen ng Biglang-Awa on the horizon while I was blessing them with holy water. Many of them were dumbfounded, some could not speak, others were awed.

Among those who shared their experiences with me regarding this occurrence were Congresswoman and Hermana "Ate"Gina Reyes; Provincial LMD-PESO Manager Erma Reyes, Arlete Mapacpac, Tita Florence Agcaoili, Marivic Miciano, Crispy Martinez, Kathleen Fajardo, Pauline Manguera and other PESO Staff then in charge of candle distribution; Choir members of the Immaculate Conception Parish; members of the Legion of Morions; and many other employee of the provincial government. I was told that they saw a black smoke ascending from the structure of the Shrine and went towards the top of the Pastoral Center, and eventually such smoke turned into the image of the Mahal na Birhen ng Biglang Awa, the same image displayed in the shrine. The image, according to the witnesses, was there for about twenty to thirty seconds.

While this was occurring, many could not say anything. They were so dumbfounded, that some of them who were wanting to, could not immediately get their cameras to record such special occurrence. All I heard was a commotion, and I actually wondered why they were raising their hands. MANY OF THEM BELIEVED THEY SAW THE MAHAL NA BIRHEN NG BIGLANG AWA. And I believed them. 

Rev. Fr. Renato M. Sapungan

Rector, 

Diocesan Shrine of Ang Mahal na Birhen ng Biglang - Awa

Boac, Marinduque

House panel okays resolution on HRET power over poll cases

MANILA, Philippines - The House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms has approved a resolution reiterating the exclusive authority and jurisdiction of the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET) over electoral protest cases.

Passed by the panel was House Resolution No. 597 “reiterating adherence to the time-honored principle on the exclusivity of jurisdiction of the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal over all contests relating to the election, returns and qualifications of its members to preserve the integrity, dignity and reputation of the House of Representatives and its members.”

It was filed by Oriental Mindoro Rep. Reynaldo Umali and co-authored by 171 other lawmakers.

The filing of the resolution stemmed from the decision of the Supreme Court (SC) declaring Lord Allan Velasco the winner during the 2013 congressional race in the lone district of Marinduque, and not Regina Reyes, who was the one proclaimed by the local Commission on Elections (Comelec) after the canvassing.

Umali said the HRET should handle and hear the election protest of Velasco against Reyes and not the SC as the latter already took her oath as Marinduque representative.

Reyes was earlier proclaimed by the poll body as the winner with a margin of over 4,000 votes against Velasco, son of SC Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco.

On Tuesday night, Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga, Velasco’s partymate in the National Unity Party, took the cudgels for the defeated congressional candidate, saying not respecting the decision of the SC could trigger a constitutional crisis.

He said the SC upheld the decision of the Comelec’s First Division to cancel Reyes’ certificate of candidacy for allegedly making material misrepresentations on her residency and citizenship.

The SC, according to Barzaga, “has spoken with finality. I appeal to reason and sense of fair play of every member of this honorable chamber to uphold the rule of law and the Constitution. I urge everyone, regardless of political affiliation, to abide by that final decision of the Court.”

Umali and Reps. Doy Leachon and Josephine Sato immediately stood up and contradicted Barzaga.

They said all election-related protests against proclaimed congressmen must be under the jurisdiction of the HRET, including Reyes’ case.

Leachon and Umali also said that it is clear that the SC decision was suspicious and doubtful since it was issued only 18 days after the case was filed.

They even cited the opinion of SC Associate Justice Arturo Brion who said that it looked like the decision was hastened to favor the son of a colleague.

For her part, Sato urged her colleagues to support and stand for the mandate of Congress to defend its dignity.

The SC has ordered the House of Representatives to answer Velasco’s bid to assume the post as representative of the lone district of Marinduque.

In their session the other day, the SC justices approved the issuance of an order directing the House to submit a comment on the petition filed by Velasco last month seeking the issuance of a writ of mandamus ordering Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. to recognize him as duly elected winner in last year’s congressional race and administer his oath of office.

The SC gave the House 10 days from receipt of notice to comply with its order.

To read the full story please click HERE.

LP stalwart threatens to impeach justices anew

Posted in Manila Bulletin
By: Ben Rosario

Manila, Philippines — A close Malacañang ally in Congress raised anew the sword of Damocles over the heads of Supreme Court  (SC) justices as he revived his threat to impeach magistrates whom he accused of abusing the power of judicial review and violating the principle of separation of powers.

In a privilege speech, Mindoro Oriental Rep. Reynaldo Umali appealed to witnesses of alleged judicial abuses and irregularities in the judiciary to come out in the open to help the executive and legislative branches of government cleanse the courts of bad eggs.

Delivering his second SC bashing in three months, Umali assailed several High Court decisions which he claimed to have flip-flopped on past rulings, saying that these were reached by magistrates in the guise of “judicial elasticity.”

In his first anti-SC privilege speech, the administration lawmaker vowed to push for the impeachment of two Supreme Court members, telling journalists later that the complaint will be filed in January 2014.

In his latest blast against the SC, Umali did not state reasons for failing to pursue the impeachment cases, but he reiterated his accusations that certain members of the judiciary were guilty of betrayal of public trust which is an impeachable offense.

“As the highest tribunal in the land, the Supreme Court should be the stronghold of integrity and impartiality.  Yet how can we trust a Supreme Court that changes its mind whenever such change appears to be convenient?” asked Umali, who takes pride of having authored impeachment resolutions that led to the resignation of former Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez and the ouster of former SC Chief Justice Renato Corona.

He detailed a number of cases which he said have been shrouded with judicial controversies due to reversals of previous decisions.

But his main criticism appeared to be aimed at the case of Marinduque Rep. Regina Reyes whose proclamation as congressional race winner over former Rep. Lord Allan Velasco has been ordered nullified by the Court.

Failing to get Speaker Feliciano Belmonte to acknowledge the ruling, Velasco, son of SC Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco, filed  a Petition for Mandamus seeking to compel Belmonte to administer his oath of office and direct Secretary General Emilia Barua-Yap to remove Reyes’ name from the roll of members  of the House.

Citing a House resolution signed by majority of congressmen and jurisprudence, Umali, himself a lawyer, stressed that the Supreme Court no longer has jurisdiction over the electoral controversy because the decision is already under the jurisdiction of the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal which Justice Velasco chairs.

“Surely, a full blown constitutional crisis will ensue at a huge cost to our political system on account of a flip-flopping , albeit, unwarranted decision of the High Court to favor a  son of a sitting magistrate, which I submit constitute betrayal of public trust, a clear ground for impeachment,” Umali said.

Reyes case was “motu propio” decided in record time of 18 days, without even requiring the sitting solon to comment, he said.

“It is very unusual how the Supreme Court was able to decide the Reyes case so swiftly when some, if not most, cases remain for years in the court dockets despite its mandate under the 1987 Constitution to resolve cases within 24 months from the date of submission,” Umali said.

Read the full article: click here