Brillantes backs bill scrapping recall polls

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) does not mind at all if Congress would decide to scrap the law allowing recall elections.

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brilllantes said putting an end to recall elections would be better for the poll body due to its insufficient budget.

Brillantes said they support House Bill 6222 since the Comelec finds it difficult whenever there is a recall election.

“If they would give us recall powers, they should also give us the budget,” he said, adding that a P1-million budget only covers one barangay.

Brillantes said the P1 million being allocated by Congress for recall polls also covers initiatives and special elections, forcing the poll body to even use its savings for such purposes.

Brillantes noted that P31 million was spent for the recent special election to fill the congressional seat in the fifth district of Negros Occidental vacated with the death of Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo last January.

Two weeks ago, Palawan Rep. Dennis Socrates filed HB 6222 abolishing the recall mechanism in the Local Government Code.

Section 69 of the Local Government Code provides that the “power of recall for loss of confidence shall be exercised by the registered voters of a local government unit to which the local elective official subject to such recall belongs.”

Section 75 of the Code, on the other hand, states that “all expenses incident to recall elections shall be borne by the Comelec.”

Brillantes said though Congress may also enact new legislation that will limit the requirements for recall elections if the Socrates bill is rejected.