Thursday, July 24, 2008 Special polls for MP congressman unlikely
THE holding of special elections for Mountain Province's congressional seat vacated by the late Victor Dominguez is very unlikely.
House Speaker Prospero Nograles said no special elections have been set for Mountain Province, "unless all the members of the (recently combined) Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) and Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino (Kampi) leaders agree and file a bill for the activity.”
“Without a majority of the party agreeing (for the special elections), no bill will be filed," Nograles said.
The Speaker was in Baguio City recently for the joint declaration of merger between the ruling Lakas-CMD and Kampi political parties.
Mountain Province is represented at the House of Representatives by Kalinga Representative Manuel Agyao. He was appointed as the province's caretaker after the death of Dominguez last February.
Nograles said Agyao has been instructed to coordinate and consult with the Dominguez family to ensure the smooth and continuing implementation of the ongoing programs initiated by the late congressman.
Earlier, Mountain Province Governor Maximo Dalog said the Provincial Government would be willing to bankroll the special elections, if the funds needed would not exceed P3 million, if only to respond to the clamor of residents to select their representative through special elections.
The Commission on Elections has also not issued the certification on the availability of funds for the special elections. The conduct of special elections is a national undertaking whose funding should come from the National Government. (JC)
