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Thursday, November 22, 2007
Comelec waits for House to seek Basilan special polls
By Bong Garcia
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said the House of Representatives must call for special polls to choose another Basilan congressman to replace slain Representative Wahab Akbar.
Only then can Comelec conduct the political exercise, said an election official.
Post your comments here on the Batasan blast
Akbar and three House of Representatives staff were killed when a powerful bomb ripped through the south wing entrance of the Batasang Pambansa complex in Quezon City on November 13, 2007.
Nine others, including two congressmen, were injured in the same incident.
Comelec information officer James Jimenez on Wednesday said the House of Representatives should call for a special election first before Comelec could start preparing for it.
So far, Jimenez added, Congress has not yet called for special polls in Basilan to allow residents to elect a replacement for their slain congressman.
The followers of the late congressman are now scouting for a strong candidate who has the potentials to represent them in Congress and who they intend to field if and when a special election will be conducted.
Zamboanga City fist district Representative Beng Climaco was named congresswoman-caretaker of the province.
Climaco's appointment will end when the province shall have elected a legislator of its own.
The election, it was reported, can only push through if and when the late Akbar's opponent during the May 14 elections would withdraw his electoral protest against the slain representative.
Akbar was serving as a first-term congressman for a little over four months when the bombing took his life.
He was a three-term governor before he was elected as congressman of the province. (Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Dumaguete. (November 22, 2007 issue)
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