Comelec: Proceed with special polls
-A A +AFriday, May 11, 2012
THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) through an en banc decision has come up with a resolution to proceed with the special elections at the 5th district of the province on June 2.
This was revealed Thursday by Comelec Commissioner Armando Velasco who was in the province for the Comelec-Philippine National Police-Armed Forces of the Philippines Provincial Coordinating Conference at the Governor's Hall in line with the 5th district special elections as well as the special polls set on May 12 in Barangay Lipat-on, Calatrava.
Velasco said the resolution to proceed with the special elections at the 5th district was approved in an en banc session of Comelec last Tuesday.
This as the Supreme Court is yet to rule on the petition for the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the special polls filed by lawyer Romulo Macalintal.
Velasco disclosed that the Comelec is set to file an answer to the petition of Macalintal and that the poll body will signify its opposition to the issuance of the TRO.
"We will abide by whatever decision of the SC on the matter. We are only following the resolution passed by the House of Representatives that ordered Comelec to conduct a special election at the district after the vacancy was declared," he said.
He further pointed out that as of this time, Comelec has spent only about P3 million of the P21.6-million budget allocated for the conduct of the special election at the 5th district.
Velasco, who is in charge of the special elections, said that while manual voting will be used during the special elections, the results will be known within 36 hours after the voting.
Incumbent Board Member Dino Yulo and Binalbagan Mayor Bebot Mirasol have confirmed that they are running for the congressional seat in the special election.
Former council member and journalist Dolly Yasa is yet to confirm reports that she is also running against Yulo and Mirasol. Yasa is also the former chief of staff of the late Representative Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo.
The filing of Certificate of Candidacy for the special polls is set on May 14, 15 and 16.
Published in the Sun.Star Bacolod newspaper on May 11, 2012.
Local news
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