Cabanatuan plebiscite postponed

CABANATUAN CITY, Philippines – Last month’s killing of a hard-hitting radio anchorman has prompted the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to postpone the plebiscite for the ratification of this city’s conversion into a highly urbanized city originally set for today.

In Resolution 9563, the Comelec ruled on Tuesday to postpone the plebiscite and reset it after the May 13, 2013 elections.

In its decision, the Comelec said it was taking “cognizance of the violence that ensued (during) the plebiscite period” for the conversion of Cabanatuan.

While the resolution did not cite any particular violent incident, it was apparently referring to the killing of Julius Cezar Cauzo who was shot dead last Nov. 8.

Cauzo, anchorman of Teleradyo dwJJ owned by the family of Mayor Julius Cesar Vergara, had been pushing for the city’s conversion and had engaged in a word war with his counterparts from a rival radio station over the issue. His killing remains unsolved.

Registered voters are supposed to flock to polling precincts in the city’s 89 barangays to vote for or against Presidential Proclamation 418 issued last July 4 by President Aquino which declared Cabanatuan a highly urbanized city.