Cabanatuan HUC plebiscite set Dec. 1

CABANATUAN CITY, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has set on Dec. 1 the plebiscite on the conversion of this city from a component city into a highly urbanized city (HUC).

In a resolution issued last week, the Comelec approved the plebiscite date with only registered voters of this city allowed to participate in the exercise.

Earlier, the poll body had denied the petition of Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Umali to allow all qualified voters in the whole province to take part in the plebiscite.

In his petition, Umali said Novo Ecijanos would be affected once Cabanatuan becomes an HUC, thus it is imperative for them to participate in a plebiscite that would ratify Presidential Proclamation 418 declaring the city as such.

Umali filed a verified motion for reconsideration which the poll body also denied.

The Comelec has imposed a gun ban in Cabanatuan from Nov. 5 to Dec. 11. Violators face a jail term of up to six years, disqualification from public office, and deprivation of the right to vote. – With Sheila Crisostomo