Sunday, July 06, 2008 Guv: Mountain Province can fund special polls
THE Mountain Province Provincial Government is willing to bankroll the holding of a special election for the province's representative to the House of Representatives.
But Governor Maximo Dalog said this will only happen if the undertaking will not cost more than P3 million.
"We are willing to fund the special election but only to a certain amount. If the budget needed would exceed P3 million, we will leave it to the Comelec (Commission on Elections) to fund the election," he said.
Dalog said the Provincial Board already passed a resolution asking Congress to pass a bill for the holding of special elections to fill the seat vacated by the late Mountain Province Representative Victor Dominguez at the House.
"But we have to wait until Congress resumes session," he said. The House went on recess last month and would resume session on July 28.
Dalog also belied reports that the special election in Mountain Province will not push through due to lack of funds.
"There has been no pronouncement of lack of funds from the Comelec, we want to clarify that," the governor said.
But whether or not the province is funding the election, the Comelec should push through with the undertaking, as provided for in their mandate.
Mountain Province was left with no representative with the demise of Dominguez last February. (JC)
