Marinduque Congress race: Supreme Court justice's son scores opponents

MANILA, Philippines - Supporters of a son of Supreme Court Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr., who is running for Congress in Marinduque, yesterday assailed the “proxy war” in media allegedly hatched by his political opponents who are attacking the honor and integrity of his father.

In a statement, lawyer Lord Allan Velasco said the supporters, composed mostly of poor farmers, fishermen, youths, and barangay residents, have urged him to run for Congress to uplift the economic status of Marinduque that have been neglected for many years.

Velasco is a former provincial administrator in Marinduque.

The young Velasco said the supporters pointed out that the past leadership had been having a hard time pulling out the province from neglect in essential services, particularly medical and infrastructure needs of the residents.

“Why attack Justice Velasco? He is not running for office. We call on those who feel threatened by the popularity of Atty. Velasco to leave his father out of the political contest. Their black propaganda is only showing the obvious – they cannot find anything derogatory to hit the young Velasco with,” the supporters said.

Velasco is vying for a seat in Congress against Edmundo Reyes Jr., who, in 2007, withdrew from the gubernatorial race in Marinduque because of alleged liver ailment.

Edmundo and his mother, Carmencita, have exchanged elective posts for the past years either as governor or member of Congress, Velasco said.

The supporters said that when the young Velasco started to gain the support of thousands of residents during his two-year stint as provincial administrator, some members of the powerful political clan in Marinduque started an orchestrated effort to downgrade him.

Finding no stain as a lawyer and as provincial official, members of the political clan started to attack the vulnerability of Justice Velasco because of his revered but sensitive position in the judiciary, they said.

“We call on the political opponents of Atty. Velasco to play fair. They should pick on him and not Justice Velasco who does not lack enemies composed mostly of litigants who lost cases in a fair and just manner. They should also come forward and not hide under the skirt of alleged crusading journalists,” they stressed.

Velasco said that in a series of news publications posted in the home page of an on-line news agency, allegations were raised against the integrity of Justice Velasco as member of the judiciary.