SC order says Jalosjos can’t assume post

The Supreme Court (SC) has issued a status quo ante order that effectively prevents Romeo Jalosjos Jr. from assuming the post of Zamboanga del Norte representative.

In a four-page en banc resolution released to the media on Thursday, the SC granted the plea of the camp of Roberto “Pinpin” Uy, Jr., Jalosjos’ rival in the last election for the post, to stop the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from crediting the 5,424 votes of Frederico Jalosjos to Jalosjos Jr. after declaring the former as a nuisance candidate.

Uy maintained that the results of the elections showed him garnering 69,591 votes while Jalosjos Jr. got 69,109 votes but his proclamation was stopped by the Comelec, pending the resolution of the latter’s petition to declare Frederico as a nuisance candidate.

The Comelec ruled to declare Frederico as a nuisance candidate last June 7, 2022 and credited  Frederico’s votes to Jalosjos Jr., that led to the latter’s proclamation as the duly-elected representative of Zamoboanga del Norte.

“Acting on the (i) petition for certiorari, prohibition and mandamus…(with Urgent Prayer  for the Issuance of a Temporary Restraining Order [TRO] and/or Status Quo Ante Order [SQAO]/Writ of Preliminary Injunction…the Court resolved without giving due course to the petitions to …Issue a Status Quo Ante Order requiring parties to observe the Status Quo prevailing before the issuance of the order dated May 12, 2022 and resolution dated June 7, 2022 of respondent Commission on Elections (Comelec)…,” the resolution stated.

The high court also directed respondents Comelect and Jalosjos Jr. to comment on Uy’s petition within a non-extendible period of 10 days.

On June 14, the Comelec issued a final and executory resolution which declared Frederico a nuisance candidate and directed that his votes be credited to Jalosjos Jr.