Thursday, June 07, 2007 Bogo cityhood vote scheduled for June 16
THE plebiscite for Bogo’s cityhood will take place next Saturday, June 16.
Resolution 8127, promulgated on June 2, approves the recommendation of Jose Tolentino Jr., Commission on Elections (Comelec) deputy director for operations, to conduct the exercise that will ratify the conversion of Bogo town into a city.
The local government of Bogo has been ordered to remit to the Comelec more than P2.3 million to be used for the plebiscite.
The town has already set aside P3.1 million for it.
May 30 to June 18 has been declared as plebiscite period and like the elections, gun ban is also imposed on the town during this period.
Suspension of local elective officials and transfer of government employees and officers are also prohibited.
Schedule
May 30 to June 14 is the campaign period and June 10 is the last day to appoint members of the plebiscite committees and the Municipal Plebiscite Board of Canvassers.
Liquor ban will be imposed on the eve as well as on plebiscite day.
The voting will start at 7 a.m. and will end at 3 p.m.
The precincts used in the May 14 elections will be the same places to be used for the plebiscite.
Bogo has 40,278 registered voters with 196 clustered precincts.
The Municipal Plebiscite Board of Canvassers of Bogo will convene at 4 p.m. on June 16 and should not adjourn until the canvass is completed.
Provincial Election Supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano has called Bogo Election Officer Jose Menguez and instructed him to prepare for the plebiscite.
Although the controversy on the Bogo election returns of the May 14 elections has not been resolved yet, Castillano said that it will not be a problem as new ballot boxes for the plebiscite will be delivered for the activity.
If the “yes” vote wins, Celestino “Junie” Martinez Jr. will be the first city mayor of Bogo.
Despite pending issues on the 15 Bogo election returns (ERs), Martinez has been proclaimed mayor as the total votes in the questioned ERs will no longer effect his margin over his opponent.
The 15 ERs were brought to Manila after the board of canvassers handling the ERs expressed serious doubts on their authenticity.
