It’s almost a year now after the death of the incumbent Mountain Province Congressman Victor Dominguez, the Province since then was administered by the congressman of Kalinga as a care taker congressman until a new one is chosen through a special election, The provincial officials who are supposed to look after the welfare of their constituents would rather prefer that a stepfather take care of them not minding if they are exploited in the process. According to those who are advocating for an election, like the MAMAPKE and other individuals, they are dismayed by the lack of action of these elected officials.
The Provincial board passed a resolution last year calling for an election but they did not approve an appropriation ordinance to support said resolution. According to Ciriaco Filog, one of the advocates for an elected replacement said that Governor Maximo Dalog who was amenable to the special election was waiting for COMELEC to make a written memorandum that in case the Province will spend for this electoral exercise, roughly about three million pesos, the COMELEC should reimburse the money spent. He also said that congress should declare the position of the office of the congressman for Mountain Province vacant. Still he added a third hurdle, about his apprehensions of misspent public funds if these two conditions are not met. Lastly he could not include in his executive budget the appropriation for the special election because of the three above mentioned reasons.
Since there is an overwhelming clamor for a special election by the constituents of Mountain Province, petitions as well as resolution were forwarded to the concerned officials. The lingering questions the people as tax payers are echoing yet fall on deaf ears. Why can’t the provincial board take cognizance of these issues and take action and appropriate a budget to finance the election since COMELEC categorically stated there is no fund available. On the other hand for the past year the provincial Governor should have lobbied at the office of the COMELEC to get the memorandum of reimbursement, he should have lobbied at congress, if not then simply include in his executive budget appropriating for the expense of a special election. The province of Isabela did it when there was a vacancy in the province. There are other precedents that happened similar to the case of Mountain Province and the officials can take actions following the other provinces when vacancies occurred as a result of permanent incapacity or death of their officials.
Passing a resolution by the provincial board without an appropriation to back it up is like giving birth to a baby without giving milk to sustain life. There are so many alibis available when the Provincial Governor designated to do the task of a special election just simply do not like it to prosper.
The voice of the people is the voice of God, these are a favorite quote of the provincial Governor, and the people are speaking of a special election he should listen to them because it’s God’s voice.
