Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia (File photo)
MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday said it is waiting for the House of Representatives (HOR) to call for a special election in the first district of Valenzuela City so they can start preparations for the balloting to fill up the vacancy left by its representative.
This, after former representative Rex Gatchalian was recently appointed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. as Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
"Declaring a vacancy and calling for special elections is an exclusive prerogative of the House of Representatives. We received a letter from them (House) but it did not call for special elections," Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia said in an interview on Monday.
The poll body chief noted that they cannot start preparing for such polls unless they have been directed by Congress.
"Therefore, if they don't call for a special election, the Comelec will not begin its preparations," he added.
But, Garcia said they have recently received a letter from the House of Representatives, accepting the resignation of Gatchalian.
"They informed the Comelec that they have accepted the resignation of former Congressman Gatchalian and now recognize him as the DSWD Secretary," he added.
The HOR earlier designated Quezon First District Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga as the caretaker of the first district of Valenzuela.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez earlier said the chamber will call for a special election of the vacant congressional seat "at the right time." (PNA)
