Officials want ‘share’ in P864-M projects as Mt Prov folk split on polls

By Dexter A. See

BONTOC Mountain Province – Residents and local officials of this province are divided on a proposal to conduct special elections to fill up the congressional post vacated by the death of Rep. Victor S. Dominguez.

Earlier, Kalinga Rep. Manuel S. Agyao was designated by Speaker Prospero Nograles as caretaker-congressman of the province.

While local officials are interested in a special election to fill up the vacant congressional post, some sectors, especially those on the grassroots level, are reportedly supportive of the appointment of Agyao as caretaker.

The holding of the special election would require a big amount of money, they said.
Some local officials supporting the holding of the special election want to dip their fingers in the P864-million infrastructure projects to be implemented in the province, it was learned.

Some provincial officials visited Speaker Prospero Nograles to ask him to allow the conduct of the special election, but they were advised to file an official request with the Commission on Elections.

The House leadership appointed Agyao as the caretaker-congressman of the province to save the millions of pesos that would be used in the conduct of a special election.

It was noted the House has not scheduled any special elections in the congressional districts with vacancies such as Basilan, which was vacated by the death of Rep. Wahab Akbar, due to the reported lack of funds.

Article 6, Section 9 of the Constitution provides that in case of vacancy in the House of Representatives, a special election may be called for the unexpired term of office.
Dominguez died of cardiac arrest on Feb. 8. He was 72.