Comelec drops Reyes as 1-UTAK nominee

MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has disqualified former Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes as the first nominee of One-United Transport Koalisyon (1-UTAK) party-list at the House of Representatives.

In a Commission en banc resolution, they ruled that Reyes does not truly represent 1-UTAK since the retired general failed to prove that he was an advocate of the transport group despite presenting a long list of evidentiary documents looking to prove that he promotes the advocacies of the party-list group.

“In sum, all the actions of respondent Reyes, which he claims as proofs of his advocacy to the transport sector were done not in his personal capacity but in his official capacity as secretary of departments concerned,” said the 13-page ruling penned by Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento.

It added, “Reyes, therefore, was just doing his job and was not acting as an advocate of the marginalized and underrepresented sector, which 1-UTAK seeks to represent.”

Aside from Sarmiento, those who voted to drop Reyes were Comelec Chairman Jose Melo, Commissioners Lucenito Tagle, and Gregorio Larrazabal.

Reyes will be replaced by Engr. Homer Mercado, third nominee of the party. The second nominee, Atty. Vigor Mendoza II, has resigned citing professional commitments.