Debate heats up at hearing to disqualify mayoralty candidate on grounds of prior rape conviction

Zamboanga City -- Romeo Jalosjos, in orange jacket, listens to the arguments during the hearing by the Election Regulatory Board (ERB) on the disqualification case filed against him by incumbent 1st District of Zamboanga representative Maria Isabel Climaco-Salazar.

Salazar is questioning Jalosjos' qualifications to register as a voter in Zamboanga on the grounds of a prior criminal conviction. Jalosjos is set to run against Salazar for the post of mayor of Zamboanga in the May 2013 election. In 1997, while serving as congressman for the neighboring Zamboanga del Norte, Jalosjos was convicted of raping an 11-year old girl.

The hearing started promptly at 9am with about a hundred people crammed into the tight Commission on Election office - supporters of both candidates as well as media and other observers.

The COMELEC is part of the city's sports complex. Above it are the grandstands where thousands more showed up as early as 6am to show their support for their respective candidates.