New budget certification needed for village plebiscite

THE new budget certification is needed for the resetting of the conduct of plebiscite for Pagla-um village, according to an official of the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

City Comelec officer Mavil M. Sia said, since it is a new year, there has to be a new budget certification stressing the availability of funds for 2013, although the City Council allocated P3 million last year for the conduct of plebiscite.

On November 26, 2012, the petitioners of Barangay Pag-laum, headed by Gemeno Ymballa, requested the Comelec en banc to fix the date of the plebiscite or act on their motion for reconsideration so they can act accordingly with the City Council of Bacolod City for re-scheduling the plebiscite after the May elections. The “minute resolution” dated November 13 was recommended by Deputy Executive Director for Operations Bartolome Sinocruz Jr.

Ymballa said the motion was not acted upon up to the present.

Ymballa said the “minute resolution,” which was recommended by the Office of the Deputy Executive Director for Operations (Odedo), did not specify the date of the re-scheduled conduct of plebiscite so they would like to request the Commission en banc to fix the date of the plebiscite.

The date of the plebiscite after the May 13 elections is very important considering that it needs sufficient time for the Commission to take action on the request for the conduct of the plebiscite, Ymballa said.

“It is to be noted that the petitioners have already submitted all the requirements needed including the fund of P3 million and the filing fee as required, hence, it is only waiting for the next schedule that will be set by this office,” he said.

Ymballa also asked the Commission en banc that a resolution of the pending incident be made for the petitioners’ proper guidance.