SC unlikely to grant plea to stop Negros special polls - Comelec

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The Comelec believed that the Supreme Court will not grant the petition of an election lawyer against the holding of the June 2 special polls in the 5th District of Negros Occidental.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez, in an interview over Bombo Radyo Wednesday, said election lawyer Romulo Macalintal was set to file yesterday a temporary restraining order (TRO) before the SC to stop the special election.

The special election is set to fill the post vacated by the late congressman Iggy Arroyo who died in January in London after a long battle with cirrhosis. It is then likely that the SC will deny Macalintal’s petition, said Jimenez.

In a statement, Macalintal described the special poll with a budget of P21.6 million, as “totally impractical and a waste of money, time and manpower resources of Comelec.” Only four months after the June 2 special poll, or on October 1 to 5, will be the filing of candidacy for the 2013 polls, he argued.

Macalintal said: “If the concern of Congress is to help the constituents of Arroyo then the (P21.6 million) budget for such election could be channeled to this district.”

Whoever wins in the special election could not even contract for public work projects nor disburse funds since the election ban on this project will start by February 2013, said Macalintal.

“If our lawmakers are really that concerned and sensitive to the needs of our people, they should heed the call of Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. not to hold the election for being clearly impractical and unnecessary,” Macalintal said.

Brillantes earlier said he was not in favor of a special election in the 5th District as it would be a waste of time, considering that the tenure of Iggy’s successor would only be a year, and it would be an additional expense for the Comelec.

Jimenez however countered that Congress approved a resolution mandating the Comelec to hold the special election, after it declared the congressional post vacant.

Jimenez said it is the right of the people of the 5th District to be properly represented in Congress, and it would be unfair for them if they are not accorded this right just because of the issue of funds. The Comelec is only following the congressional mandate, he added.

Provincial election supervisor Jesse Suarez said the Comelec is now ready for the special poll, as some election paraphernalia have already arrived last Monday, pending other election forms. —(FREEMAN)