SPECIAL election in Benguet will remain an option.

House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano assured Benguet folk the possibility of having a special election in replacing the late Congressman Nestor Fongwan Sr. who succumbed to illness in December 2019.

Cayetano, who was in the city during the weekend, said they have yet to receive the resolution from the province with the speaker appointing a caretaker so as not to hamper government services for the province.

“I met with Congressmen Mark Go (Baguio), JB Bernos (Abra) and other representatives including the family of Fongwan regarding the appointment of a caretaker and they were amenable,” Cayetano told Baguio-based journalists.

Cayetano said while awaiting for resolution, he vowed to Benguet folk that government projects and funding for other plans of the district will be taken cared off.

The speaker appointed ACT–CIS party list representative Eric Go Yap after Cayetano manifested the vacancy and upon motion of Deputy Majority Leader Xavier Jesus Romualdo, Yap’s appointment was unanimously approved to serve as legislative caretaker of the lone district of Benguet.

Cayetano defended his choice for caretaker saying Yap has no political interest in the area and assured to continue the plans and projects of the late solon.

“Let the family grieve. We are willing to sit down with Benguet leaders for the special election but in the mean time let us continue what the late Congressman Fongwan has started,” Cayetano added.

According to a report by the Philippine News Agency, lawyer Julia Elenita Tabangin-Capuyan, Benguet election officer, said the law provides that the House Speaker shall declare the vacancy and appoint a caretaker.

Tabangin-Capuyan said a special election to fill up a position must be done within 45 to 90 days after the declaration of a vacancy.

A special election will require the registration of voters, printing of ballots, hiring of teachers to serve in the election and other incidental expenses which are estimated to be about P100 million.

The election if approved, such amount will be advanced by the local government subject to reimbursement by the Commission on Elections and will be allotted an amount by the Congress.