HRET upholds Imelda victory

MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET) has upheld the victory of Rep. Imelda Marcos in the 2010 congressional elections for the second district of Ilocos Norte.

The nine-member HRET unanimously voted to junk the case filed by defeated candidates Mariano Nalupta Jr. and Ferdinand Ignacio against Marcos for lack of merit.

Nalupta and Ignacio consolidated their complaint against Marcos. The case was not an electoral protest but a quo warrant questioning her eligibility. The defeated candidates questioned the residency of Marcos, who hails from Tacloban.

Marcos obtained over 100,000 votes, leading Nalupta, her closest rival, by over 75,000 votes.

The HRET decision was penned by Supreme Court Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin.

The HRET is chaired by Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco with Associate Justices Diosdado Peralta and Arturo Brion, Representatives Franklin Bautista (Davao del Sur), Rufus Rodriguez (Cagayan de Oro), Joselito Andrew Mendoza (Bulacan), Justin Marc Chipeco (Laguna), Ma. Theresa Bonoan-David (Manila) and Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano as members.