‘Bring citizenship issue vs lawmaker before HRET’

The Office of the Solicitor General said it is the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET) which has jurisdiction over the citizenship issue against Negros Oriental Rep. Jocelyn Limkaichong.

In a 16-page memorandum to the Supreme Court (SC), Solicitor General Agnes Devanadera said questions on Limkaichong’s disqualification and proclamation as representative of the first district of Negros Oriental should be brought before the HRET, which has exclusive jurisdiction to resolve cases relating to the election, returns and qualification of House members.

Devanadera added that Limkaichong’s petition for certiorari with the SC has been rendered moot with the Comelec’s Aug. 16, 2007 resolution where the poll body had divested itself of authority to hear and decide the petitions for disqualification filed against her and recognized the HRET’s exclusive jurisdiction.

She also asked the SC to dismiss, for being moot, all cases challenging the citizenship and proclamation of Limkaichong as the duly elected representative of the first district of Negros Oriental in the May 14, 2007 polls.

Limkaichong’s lawyer, Pete Quirino-Quadra, earlier said his client had no option but to elevate the case before the SC.

Limkaichong also appealed to the SC to consolidate all the complaints that question her citizenship and qualification as a House member, and then set the issues for oral arguments.  – Mike Frialde