Polls for Bulacan district deferred

By George Trillo

The Commission on Elections has postponed the election of a representative for the first district of Bulacan after the Supreme Court nullified the law creating a separate legislative district for Malolos City.

“We have to set it aside. We have to set an election at another date. What will be deferred is the election for congressman of the first district of Bulacan but not the whole Bulacan,” Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said in a press briefing.

Last January, the High Court declared that Republic Act 9591 violated the Constitution and an ordinance attached to the Charter because the municipality failed to meet the population requirement of 250,000 for a new legislative district.

Because of this, Malolos City was regrouped with the first district of Bulacan.

“At this point in time, it will be difficult to conduct election for congressman for the first district because you have people running for the first district (and) you have people running for congressman of Malolos City,” Larrazabal said.

The Comelec will conduct a special election for a House seat in the first district of Bulacan by merging the candidates of the two districts.