The House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal has affirmed its decision to unseat Rep. Alvin Sandoval as congressman representing the lone district of Malabon-Navotas when it recently junked the solon’s appeal for a reconsideration of its previous decision on the issue.

Baguio City Rep. Mauricio Domogan, head of the House contingent to the panel, said members of the HRET unanimously agreed that there is no cogent reason for the tribunal to reverse its ruling to recall the proclamation of Sandoval as winner in the 2007 elections in the district.

Domogan said the HRET ruling that Josephine Veronique Lacson was the winner in the 2007 congressional race is final.

Sandoval had filed a motion for reconsideration of the HRET decision that declared Lacson winner in the election contest by 542 votes, saying that the House panel erred in refusing to consider mistakes in the recounting of votes.

Domogan said the neophyte lawmaker failed to present to the body new arguments in order to convince them to consider his motion.

Promulgated in September, the decision to remove Sandoval from the House came a few days after the HRET asked the Lower House to also strip Laguna Rep. Danilo Fernandez of his seat due to lack of residency requirements to represent his district.

Lacson is the wife of An Waray Rep. Florencio “Bem” Noel. Her entry as member of the Lower House will make them the second husband-and-wife members of the chamber.

Cotabato Rep. Lala Talino-Mendoza and her husband, Raymond Democrito Mendoza, were the first couple to become House members in the same Congress.

Domogan said the HRET decided to declare Lacson winner in the Malabon-Navotas congressional election of 2007 after a recount of the ballots showed her winning by a margin of 542 votes over Sandoval.

The original count conducted in 2007 showed Sandoval, a member of Lakas-Kampi-CMD, garnering 71,490 votes over Lacson’s 70,331.

Lacson claimed she was defrauded during the 2007 count.

“Protestant Lacson claimed that she would have obtained a greater number of votes if not for the fraud and irregularities that marred the elections,” the HRET ruling said.

The decision added: “Wherefore, premises considered the Tribunal hereby declares that protestant Josephine Veronique Lacson is the duly elected Representative of the lone legislative district of Malabon City-Navotas in the election held on May 14, 2007, with a winning margin of 542 votes, with the right to assume the duties of her office. Consequently, protestee Alvin Sandoval is hereby declared unseated.”