THE Bacolod City Council has approved a resolution asking guidance from the legal department of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on how to fill the vacant post of the late councilor Elmer Sy.
The resolution, authored by Councilor Renecito Novero, was approved during the regular session of the City Council on Wednesday, July 21, 2021.
Novero, chairperson of the City Council committee on education, on Friday said they asked the legal department of the DILG to guide them on how to fill the post of Sy or the proper application of Section 45 of the Local Government Code.
Sy, 65, who tested positive for coronavirus, died on June 17.
Novero noted that Sy started his political career in the 1990s during the term of Mayor Evelio Leonardia. In the previous election, he was a member of the Nationalist People’s Coalition and won number 11 as councilor.
After Sy’s death, Novero said the number 12 councilor, who was Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr., won in the previous election as an independent candidate. He will now become the number 11 councilor and the number 12 post is now vacant.
He said the city should fill the vacant post at the city council.
“In order to fill up the vacant post, we want to have a clear decision and that is why we are asking an advice from the legal depart of the DILG,” he added.
Novero said they are hopeful that the DILG will release its opinion soon.