Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer (Neg. Occ., 4th District) and former senator Juan Miguel Zubiri yesterday said they do not believe it is practical to hold a special election in the fifth district of Negros Occidental with the May 2013 regular polls fast approaching.

Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3rd District) last week said he had filed a resolution in the House to declare the fifth congressional seat of Negros Occidental vacant with the death of Rep. Ignacio Arroyo Jr., and seeking the holding of a special election for his replacement.

Commission on Elections chair Sixto Brillantes Jr. last week told reporters in Manila that he prefers that no special election be conducted.

“It’s additional (expense) and time-consuming, and … the tenure (of the successor) would only be a year. So it would be really a waste,” Brillantes said.

But it would be up to the House to decide, he added .

The COMELEC on March 7 voted to discontinue all actions on 38 pending recall petitions for various local positions in the country because of budgetary and time constraints.

Benitez yesterday said the House is set to rule on his resolution for a special election anytime this week.

He thinks the COMELEC should hold a special election, “Those are for election disputes. This one is to fill a vacancy,” Benitez said.

Ferrer said he would prefer that a new congressman for the fifth district be elected during the regular polls next year.

He said the funds for the special election in the fifth district could instead be used to help the earthquake victims in Negros Oriental, or for the health needs of the residents of the fifth district of Negros Occidental.

However, he said he will respect the decision of the House on the matter.

COMELEC provincial superintendent Jessie Suarez had said earlier that a special election in the fifth district would cost about P10 million.

Ferrer also said that if appointed one of the caretakers of the fifth district until a new congressman is elected for the area, he will take on the job even if it will mean additional tasks for him.

Ferrer yesterday also reiterated that he has no intention of running for governor of Negros Occidental next year as long as Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. is seeking re-election.

Ferrer said he will seek reelection as congressman of the fourth district of Negros Occidental for a third term.

Zubiri, who was in Bacolod yesterday, said that, with the Comelec putting the recall elections on hold because of funding problems, he did not know if it would also put the special election on hold.

It may be impractical to hold a special election with the filing of Certificates of Candidacy for the regular polls next year already set six months from now, in October, he said.

Congress should hold a consultative meeting with the mayors of the fifth district in the presence of the board members and the governor on the matter, he said. *CPG

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