SC stops Romeo Jalosjos Jr. from sitting as Zamboanga del Norte congressman

The Supreme Court (SC) has stopped Romeo Jalosjos Jr. from sitting as the representative of the first district of Zamboanga del Norte in Congress, weeks after he was proclaimed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

In a resolution dated July 12, the high court issued a status quo ante order in response to the petitions separately filed by Jalosjos' rivals, Roberto “Pinpin” Uy Jr. and Frederico Jalosjos.

The SC required the parties to observe the status quo prior to the release of the Comelec orders that helped pave the way for Jalosjos' proclamation.

The justices also required the Comelec and Jalosjos to comment on the petitions within 10 days of receipt of the notice. 

Associate Justice Henri Jean Paul Inting, the brother of Acting Comelec Chairperson Socorro Inting, inhibited from the case.

Jalosjos originally garnered 69,109 votes, placing him second to Uy, who received 69,591 votes.

The poll body, however, decided to “legally pass” to Jalosjos the 5,424 votes obtained by Frederico after the latter was declared a nuisance candidate.

Because of this, Jalosjos got a total of 74,533 votes, allowing him to beat Uy by 4,942 votes. 

On June 23, the Comelec proclaimed Jalosjos as the winner of the congressional race in the May 9 polls. —VBL, GMA News