Comelec slams DBM meddling on suspension of recall proceedings

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has decried the political meddling of the Department of Budget Management (DBM) in its decision to suspend all recall proceedings due to lack of funds.

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. belied the pronouncement of the DBM that the poll body has some P4 billion to conduct recall elections.

Brillantes said the funds were slashed by the DBM from the Comelec’s budget for the May 2013 mid-term polls. The appropriation was reinstated when the poll body opposed the move.

“We have been asking for money from the DBM for recall proceedings but they declined. Now, they want us to allocate funds for recall elections,” he said.

Former Puerto Princesa mayor Edward Hagedorn had earlier asked DBM Undersecretary Luz Cantor to validate the poll body’s claim that it had no budget for recall elections.

Hagedorn has a pending recall petition against incumbent Mayor Lucilo Bayron.

Cantor has disputed the Comelec’s position that there was no line item for recall elections in its budget and that it could not realign funds for these proceedings.

But according to Brillantes, the DBM wants them to conduct recall elections just because Hagedorn belongs to the administration’s Liberal Party.

“The problem with them is that they want us to find money for recall proceedings because it’s Hagedorn that is asking for it. It’s politics. If the DBM can give us supplemental budget, then we will conduct recall (elections),” he said.

It is estimated that some P20 million will be needed to conduct a recall election in Puerto Princesa City.

A recall petition against Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado is also pending with the Comelec.

Last month, the Comelec issued Resolution No. 9882 suspending all recall proceedings due to lack of funds.

The resolution said that allocating funds for the purpose of conducting recall elections would be illegal under the Supreme Court ruling.

The Comelec also cited Art. VI, Sec. 29 (1) of the 1987 Constitution that states no money shall be paid out of the treasury except in pursuance of an appropriation made by law.