Those who voted in favor of Velasco’s petition were Chief
Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno and Justices Antonio Carpio, Teresita Leonardo-De Castro,
Lucas Bersamin, Martin Villarama Jr., Jose Perez, Bienvenido Reyes
and Marvic
Leonen.
Justice Arturo Brion was the lone dissenter.
Likewise, House Secretary-General Marilyn B. Barua-Yap was
ordered to register Mr. Velasco’s name in the Roll of Members after he has
taken his oath.
Only nine justices tackled the case; one of them, Associate
Justice Arturo D. Brion, dissented.
The elder Mr. Velasco inhibited from his son’s case, as did
Associate Justices Diosdado M. Peralta, Mariano C. del Castillo, Jose Catral
Mendoza, Estela M. Perlas-Bernabe and Francis H. Jardeleza.
The high court said these acts are ministerial duties of the
House Speaker and the Secretary-General that can be compelled by mandamus. The
court said Mr. Velasco is entitled to the writ because the Commission on
Elections (Comelec) resolutions and a subsequent SC decision disqualifying his
winning rival, Regina Ongsiako-Reyes, have all attained finality as early as
2013.
This “left no issue as to who is the rightful Representative
of the Lone District of the Province of Marinduque,” according to a brief by
SC.
Instead, Ms. Ongsiako-Reyes remained in her position. Even
as the SC disqualified her with finality in December 2013, the House of
Representatives did not abide by the ruling as it believed the Comelec no
longer had jurisdiction over a proclaimed winner at that point.
With the SC now ordering him to install Mr. Velasco as
representative, Mr. Belmonte said in a text message to reporters: “Once [the]
decision is final, I will enforce it.” - BusinessWorld
