No more hitches in holding of plebiscite

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City south district Rep. Antonio Cuenco said the plebiscite for the division of Barangay Guadalupe will be held on March 13 as scheduled, following the release of the funds to the Commission on Elections.

Cuenco said there are no more hitches in the holding of the plebiscite because the needed funds were already received by the poll body last Tuesday.

The congressman revealed the Department of Budget and Management has released a total of P1.475 million for the purpose which Deputy Executive Director for Operations Bartolome Sinocruz, Jr. of the Comelec has formally received.

Cuenco said he already received copies of the notice of cash allocation and special allocation release order on the amount. “Wala nay kakuli-an,” he added.

The Comelec earlier said that they could not hold the plebiscite for the division of Barangay Guadalupe inspite of the existence of the law creating Barangay Banawa-Englis because of lack of funds. Cuenco has lobbied to Malacañang to provide funds for the purpose.

Cuenco said that rules and guidelines under the Omnibus Election Code governing regular elections will apply during the plebiscite. He urged residents to go out and vote for the Comelec to determine whether or not they agree for sitios Banawa and Englis to be separated from Barangay Guadalupe.

The legislator admitted that there are oppositions to the proposed division but he added he will leave the matter for the residents of Guadalupe to decide and he will respect whatever is the decision of the majority.

The FREEMAN observed that tarpaulins of Guadalupe barangay captain Eugenio “Jing-Jing” Faelnar and that of his son barangay councilor Dino Faelnar, campaigning against the division are visibly displayed in the different areas in the barangay.

The move to split Guadalupe started in 1987 due to the clamor of the residents of sitios Banawa and Englis to be made into another barangay. This prompted Cuenco to sponsor the bill in Congress which was eventually passed and now known as the Republic Act 9905.

Based on the Comelec records, the two sitios are comprised of about 18,000 registered voters out of the total 30,225 registered voters in Barangay Guadalupe. — Fred P. Languido/WAB (THE FREEMAN)