INQUIRER.net Eleksyon 2007

SC: Taguig vote count can continue

INQUIRER.net

Tetch Torres

MANILA, Philippines -- The Supreme Court has refused to stop the counting of ballots for the congressional seat in Taguig City.

In a two-page resolution, the high court told 2nd District Representative Henry "Jun" Duenas Jr. and protester Angelito "Jett" Reyes, as well as the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET), to observe the status quo before the solon’s petition to stop the counting was filed.

"Now, therefore, effective immediately and continuing until further orders from this Court, You, petitioner Henry "Jun" Duenas Jr. and respondents House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET) and Angelito "Jett" Reyes, your agents, representatives, or persons acting in your place or stead are hereby required to observe the status quo prevailing before the filing of the petition," the high court said.

At the same time, the high court en banc ordered required Taguig 2nd District Representative Henry Duenas and the protester Angelito "Jett" Reyes and the HRET to submit their comment within 10-days.

The case stemmed from the protest filed by Reyes when Duenas, a former councilor, was proclaimed winner in the congressional race with 28,564 votes against Reyes’ 27,107.

The protest led to the opening and revision of ballots even as Duenas filed his counter-protest. The HRET ordered Dueñas to pay P320,000 as his share in the expenses for the revision of ballots in the precincts that he identified in his counter-protest and where he wanted the votes recounted.

As the counting progressed, Duenas' lead over Reyes plunged from 1,457 to only 166.

Duenas moved to stop the counting of the remaining 75 percent of the ballots he originally wanted recounted. The HRET dismissed this.

On December 2, Duenas asked the high court to stop the HRET from continuing with the revision of ballots.

In his petition, he told the high court that the HRET's use of its own funds for the revision of ballots in response to the election protest filed by Reyes "constitutes an illegal and unconstitutional disbursement of public funds."

He also assailed the alleged impartiality of the HRET when it denied his move to withdraw his counter-protest and continued with the revision of ballots. Duenas claimed this made the HRET an advocate for the other party.

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