Zambo court affirms ruling vs Jalosjos

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – The regional trial court has affirmed the decision of the lower court denying the petition of former Zamboanga del Norte congressman Romeo Jalosjos to dismiss the ruling of the election registration board (ERB) that disqualified him as a voter in this city.

The new ruling set back the bid of Jalosjos, who wanted to aspire for this city’s mayoral post, in reacquiring his civil rights after serving 13 years in prison for statutory rape.

Another setback fell on the Jalosjos camp when the Supreme Court unseated Dominador Jalosjos, the former congressman’s brother, as mayor of Dapitan City for his conviction in a robbery case 53 years ago and perpetually disqualified him from any elective post.

In a four-page decision on Wednesday, Regional Trial Court Branch 14 Judge Reynerio Estacio of the 9th Judicial Region said the lower court ruling correctly applied the provision under Article 41 of the Revised Penal Code that provides that the penalty of reclusion perpetua and reclusion temporal carries perpetual disqualification.

The case stemmed from the petitions filed by House Deputy Speaker Ma. Isabela Climaco-Salazar of the Liberal Party (LP) and Jose Lobregat of Adelante Zamboanga to disqualify Jalosjos as voter because he suffers the “accessory to penalty of perpetual absolute disqualification having been sentenced to two counts of reclusion perpetua” as a result of the statutory rape case.

Jalosjos served jail time for 13 years before he released in December 2007.

Jalosjos elevated his case to the RTC when Judge Nancy Bantayanon-Cuaresma of Municipal Trial Court Branch 1 of the 9th Judicial Region denied his petition for lack of merit last Oct. 18.

Jalosjos’ camp vowed to continue his legal battle up to the Supreme Court.