Si Harry Roque ang abogadong tumayo bilang "expert witness" sa mga consultation meeting with stakeholders ng Marinduque hinggil sa proposed settlement agreement sa Nevada case. Isa sa mga kagulat-gulat na deklarasyon ni Roque ay ang pahayag niya na ayon daw sa jurisprudence ng Canada ay hindi na tatanggapin ang kaso ng Marinduque laban sa Barrick Gold, basahin dito.
Mariing pinabulaanan ni Dr. Catherine Coumans ng MiningWatch Canada ang nasabing walang basehang pahayag ni Roque na ang pakay ng abogado ay makumbinsi ang mga taga-Marinduque na pikit-matang pirmahan na lamang ang $20-million settlement na alok ng Barrick, basahin ang naging pahayag ni Coumans dito. Mabuti na lamang, marunong kumilatis ang mga Marinduqueno kapag mga kabulaanan na ang kanilang naririnig. Nagdesisyon na ang provincial board ng Marinduque na i-reject ang alok ng Barrick.
Sa Regina O. Reyes disqualification case, kagilagilalas din ang sinasabi ni Roque na may hawak sa kaso
Ngayon naman, sa blog kamakailan ni Harry Roque, na siya ring abogado ni Regina O. Reyes sa kanyang disqualification case, at pahayag niya sa telebisyon tungkol sa kahilingan nitong tanggalin ang tatlong mahistrado ng SC sa HRET, ay ganito ang kanyang sinabi:
"Rep. Reyes was proclaimed the winner by the Marinduque Provincial Board of Canvassers on 18 May 2013 and, at the time of her proclamation, no final judgment has been rendered against her for her disqualification."
- Harry Roque, here
Nothing could be further from the truth. Kabulaanan na naman po ang tinuran. The concept of final judgment has been footnoted by the High Court in its decision dated October 22, 2013 on the case Reyes vs. Comelec, see image below. Here the High Court said:
"Thus, when the COMELEC En Banc rendered its Resolution dated 14 May 2013, such was a final judgment - the issue of petitioner's eligibility was already definitively disposed of and there was no longer any pending case on petitioner's qualifications to run for office, and the COMELEC's task of ruling on the propriety of the cancellation of petitioner's COC has ended..." - SC Resolution, here
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| Footnote sa SC Resolution, October 22, 2014, page 4.
I-review nga po natin ang ilang kaugnay na mga bagay na natalakay na sa blog na ito, Marinduque Rising:
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From petition to cancel COC, final judgment, to shotgun proclamation (posted May 24, 2013)
Video na maliwanag na nagpapakita ng ilang detalye, kasama na ang isinagawang proklamasyon ng PBOC kay Reyes sa oras na ni isang boto na galing sa mga munisipalidad ay hindi pa sinisimulan. Dahilan sa hindi maitagong anomalyang ito na ipinalabas din sa local cable TV, isinagawa muli ang proklamasyon sa ibang araw. Ang dalawang iligal na proklamasyong nabanggit ay matagal nang pinawalang bisa with finality ng COMELEC.
This Youtube video from kayshar999 shows:
Comelec chairman Sixto S. Brillantes, Jr. confirming the promulgation of a Comelec En Banc Resolution cancelling the Certificate of Candidacy (CoC) of Regina O. Reyes, a U.S. citizen who ran against incumbent congressman Lord Allan Velasco.
ANNULMENT OF PROCLAMATION
In a radio interview by Kabayan Noli de Castro over his DZMM radio program Brillantes said:
"Despite the fact na meron ho kaming desisyon disqualifying her (Reyes)...puwede hong magfile ng petition to annul yung proklamasyon kasi ginawa ho 'yun ng provincial board of canvassers sa Marinduque, ano... pupunta ho sa amin 'yan, yung kaso, kung may magpa-file, magkukuwestiyon ng proklamasyon..."
On March 27, 2013, based on a petition filed by Joseph Tan, a registered voter of Torrijos, Marinduque, the COMELEC First Division, after thorough evaluation of the case, cancelled the certificate of candidacy (CoC) of Regina O. Reyes.
On April 8, 2013, Reyes filed a motion for reconsideration (MR) that was elevated to the en banc.
On May 14, 2013, the Comelec En Banc decision on the case was promulgated stating among others as follows:
"The requirement of Philippine citizenship is indispensable for a person seeking for an elective public office. Thus, strict compliance with the requirements of RA 9225 is vital and finds even more application to a former Filipino citizen who aspired to re-acquire his Filipino citizenship and enjoys full civil and political rights therein, including the right to be voted for. It is a requisite which should be dealt with more scrutiny, if only to ensure that no person owing allegiance to other nation is actually permitted to govern our people.
xxx
"WHEREFORE, in view of the foregoing, the instant Petition is GRANTED. Accordingly, the Certificate of Candidacy of respondent REGINA ONGSIAKO REYES is hereby CANCELLED.
"In her motion for reconsideration, the respondent argues that the assailed Resolution was rendered contrary to the facts and established jurisprudence as the petitioner failed to establish sufficient evidence to make for a prima facie case against her. We deem this to the contrary.
"There is no cogent reason to reverse the findings of the Commission (First Division).
The motion for reconsideration is a reiteration of the various pleadings submitted by the respondent on the issue, a mere rehash and recycling of the claims she has raised prior to the promulgation of the resolution. The Supreme Court in the case of Roque v. Comelec did not cast a favorable eye on arguments that were reiterated:
"Petitioners’ above contention, as well as the arguments, citations, and premises holding it together, is a rehash of their previous position articulated in their memorandum I support of their petition. They have been considered, squarely addressed, and found to be without merit in the Decision subject hereof. The Court is not inclined to embark on another extended discussion of the same issue again.
"The Resolution by the First Division of this Commission is a result of a tedious evaluation of the claims and defenses brought about by the two contending parties in the case at bar. After an evaluation of the arguments presented, the Commission (First Division) declared the COC of the respondent as cancelled. This, We dare not disturb.
"WHEREFORE, premises considered, the Motion for Reconsideration is hereby DENIED for lack of merit. The March 27, 2013 Resolution of the Commission (First Division) is hereby AFFIRMED.”
The above video also shows how the Comelec process server, who had authority from the Comelec chairman to personally deliver a copy of the en banc resolution to the provincial election supervisor, was completely ignored by the PBOC despite repeated attempts to serve the document.
The provincial board of canvassers then hurriedly proceeded to proclaim the disqualified candidate as winner as shown above. At this point the canvassing of votes has not even started for candidates for Representative, Governor, Vice-Governor and Board Members.
Also read:
Eve of HRET ruling: Hate to have eaten your words in Court? Then orchestrate media blitzes
That shotgun proclamation!
