Comelec halts polls for House seats in Southern Leyte

The Comelec said that the votes for the said position in the forthcoming polls will not be counted. (File Photo: Ramon FVelasquez/Wikipedia)

MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has decided to suspend the election of new members of the House of Representatives for the first and second districts of the province of Southern Leyte.

According to Comelec Resolution 10513, it can no longer hold the election of the lawmakers for the two legislative districts on May 13, 2019 polls as the present configuration of the electoral data for the lone district of the Southern Leyte has already been completed.

“The present configuration can no longer be revised or modified in time for the May 13 elections without jeopardizing the preparations for the election of other positions,” said the resolution promulgated on March 25.

Last February 1, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 11198, which divided the province’s lone legislative district into two.

The Comelec said that the votes for the said position in the forthcoming polls will not be counted.

“In case the position for member, House of Representatives is voted upon in the May 13 elections, all votes for the said position shall be considered stray,” it added.

With this, the poll body noted that the elections for Southern Leyte representatives will be conducted “within six months” from May 13.

For the current representative of the Lone District of the province, the resolution said, “The incumbent Representative of the Lone Legislative District of the Province of Southern Leyte, he/she shall continue to represent the legislative district until noon of June 30, 2019.”

The poll body explained that the election in the province for the positions of Senators, Party-List Representatives, provincial city and municipal elective offices shall proceed as scheduled on May 13, 2019.

The first legislative district will be composed of the City of Maasin, and the municipalities of Macrohon, Padre Burgos, Limasawa, Malitbog, Tomas Oppus, and Bontoc.

Meanwhile, the municipalities of Sogod, Libagon, Liloan, San Francisco, Pintuyan, San Ricardo, Saint Bernard, Anahawan, San Juan, Hinundayan, Hinunangan, and Silago will be under the second legislative district.