Comelec pressed on special polls for Las Piñas House seat

Electronic voting and counting (RADYO INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)

MANILA — Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal reminded the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Sunday, that it must soon call for a special election for the congressional district seat of Las Piñas City in the House of Representatives, since its occupant, Mark Villar, resigned almost three months ago.

In his statement, Macalintal said the Comelec should call and hold a special election to fill the vacancy not earlier than 60 days or longer than 90 days after the occurrence of a vacancy as stated under the Synchronized Election Law.

Villar, who won in his congressional district during the May elections this year, resigned on Aug. 1 to take on the post of ublic works secretary or head of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Macalintal said given this, the special election for his replacement must be called between Sept. 30 and Oct. 30.

“Comelec should take judicial notice of Villar’s resignation and the existence of the vacancy, and should take it upon itself to secure the certification of vacancy from the House of Representatives to fulfill its mandatory duty of conducting a special election not earlier than 60 days nor longer than 90 days after the occurrence of the vacancy,” he said.  SFM