Duterte News: Reporter na Chinese napatulala dahil sa mga sagot ni Sen Cayetano May 14 2017
The Senate cannot call for a special election to fill in the vacancy of Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as he takes over the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) as its new secretary.
This was the opinion of an election lawyer, saying the law provides that a special election to fill a vacancy in the Senate should be held simultaneously with the next regular polls in 2019.
“With due respect to the Commission on Elections, the Senate cannot call for special election for Cayetano’s replacement. Such special election should be held simultaneous with the next succeeding regular election,” said poll lawyer Romulo Macalintal.
Macalintal cited Republic Act 7166 or the law providing for synchronized national and local elections, which states that the Comelec may hold a special election to fill a permanent vacancy in the Senate or House of Representatives at least one year before the expiration of the term.
The law’s section 4 provides that: “However, in case of such vacancy in the Senate, the special election shall be held simultaneously with the succeeding regular election.”
