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New Surigao, Samar congressmen sworn into office


Two new lawmakers were sworn in as members of the House of Representatives less than two months before the next national and local elections.
 
Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. on Wednesday announced that the House leadership has implemented the Supreme Court decision installing Mary Elizabeth Ty-Delgado as Philip Pichay’s replacement for the congressional seat of Surigao del Sur’s first district.
 
Also recently, the Speaker said former Deputy Speaker Raul Daza replaced Harlin Abayon as congressman of Northern Samar’s first district in accordance with the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal’s decision on the protest filed by the erstwhile lawmaker.
 
Belmonte said the ruling on Pichay’s case was officially implemented after the SC dismissed with finality his petition for reconsideration. 
 
“The new member (Ty-Delgado) took her oath before a notary public,” he said.
 
The SC declared Ty-Delgado as the rightful lawmaker to represent Surigao del Sur after it ruled that Pichay's candidacy in the 2013 polls was null and void because of his conviction for libel.
 
In Abayon’s case, Belmonte said the HRET’s decision became final after he failed to get a temporary restraining order from the Supreme Court. 
 
Daza filed a protest before the HRET contesting Abayon’s proclamation, saying he was cheated during the counting of votes at the canvassing stage. 
 
The 16th Congress adjourned last February for the campaign period and will resume session in may for the canvassing of votes for the presidential and vice presidential race.
 
Before the House adjourned, however, Belmonte swore in Lord Allan Jay Velasco as the new congressional representative of Marinduque after the Supreme Court ordered Regina Ongsiako Reyes to be unseated over her failure to prove her Filipino citizenship. — APG, GMA News
 
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