Lawmaker's prison office closed

Prison officials have padlocked the makeshift congressional office of imprisoned Congressman Romeo Jalosjos in the national penitentiary three days after the Supreme Court upheld his conviction for raping an 11-year old child in 1997.

"I ordered National Bilibid Prisons director Ricardo Macala to disallow the office and to dismantle it," said Justice Secretary Hernando Perez. One of the accessory penalties to Jalosjos' crime was perpetual disqualification from public office.

"Therefore, he has no right to continue as a congressman and he has no right to an office. It will, therefore, be dismantled as of today," said Perez.

Jalosjos set up his office complete with computers and other office equipment at the National Penitentiary when he was re-elected representative of Zamboanga del Norte, southern Philippines, in 1998 a year after a Makati court convicted him in 1997. Jalosjos won again as a representative of his hometown in 2001. The Supreme Court ruling was in response to Jalosjos motion for reconsideration for his conviction.

Meanwhile, Jalosjos claimed he was still Zamboanga del Norte's representative in Congress, adding that a two-third vote by members of the House of Representatives and not by justices at the Supreme Court could oust him from Congress.

Those who believe otherwise are "treading dangerously on constitutional grounds", he said, adding he would bring his case to the people and seek their judgment. "I give up (with the Supreme Court).

I've been deprived of equal protection under the law, of due process," said Jalosjos, adding that "political machinations" and the media were behind his ouster.