New province can’t be formed without plebiscite—Gov. Villafuerte

Gov. Luis Raymund Villafuerte Jr. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Time, and money, has run out on the House measure to carve the new province of Nueva Camarines from the flanks of the existing province of Camarines Sur.

Camarines Sur Governor Luis Raymund Villafuerte on Sunday said that even if the measure, House Bill No. 2829, creating the new province became law, it would not be enforceable—this year at least—because a plebiscite on it could not be conducted.

Villafuerte cited Resolution No. 9374 promulgated by the Comelec on March 7 which states: “The Finance Services Department (FSD) has certified that while the commission yearly proposes a considerable amount to the Department of Budget and Management for the conduct of special elections, which includes recall elections, plebiscites and referendums, the same has always been excluded from the general appropriations intended for the commission;

“For 2012, the budget given to the commission was not enough for the conduct of automated national and local elections, and available funds will be allocated to the May 13, 2013, national and local elections; and

“It is no longer feasible to conduct recall elections at this point in time, considering budgetary constraints and the tedious preparatory activities needed for the conduct of recall elections.”

This was confirmed by lawyer Genevieve Guevarra of the Comelec Office of the Executive Director, in a hearing on Thursday on the House bill by the Senate committee on local government.

Guevarra told the committee there were no funds available for the holding of special polls, such as recall elections, special elections and plebiscites.

This information was provided by Guevarra to the committee in reply to a question by Sen. Joker Arroyo who asked if the poll body had the funds to conduct a plebiscite on the creation of the new province.

Villafuerte and his father, Representative Luis R. Villafuerte of the third district of Camarines Sur, have been at odds over the partitioning of the province, with the latter backing the move. Last week they clashed at the Senate hearing.