Del Mar passing vacates North District seat, Congress has options

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The recent passing of Cebu City North District Representative Raul Del Mar has left the district’s seat vacated for the next year and a half until the next national elections in 2022.

Del Mar died on the evening of Monday, November 16, 2020, in a hospital in Manila where he was confined while attending House Sessions.

According to North District Election Officer, Lawyer Marchel Sarno, Congress has two options: calling for a special election or appointing an incumbent representative as a caretaker of the district.

Rep. Raul del Mar

“The House will first declare a vacancy for the seat. Then they may call for a special election as long as it doesn’t fall one year before the next scheduled elections,” said Sarno.

As of now, there is still 18 months until the 2022 national elections and if the Congress wants to, they may call for a special election, although the winner will only sit in office for the remainder of Del Mar’s term, Sarno said.

This will cost the Congress funds because an election for the North District would mean additional logistical factors on top of what the country is needing to tide over through this pandemic.

“Personally, I think the Congress may not want to spend for an election so they will opt for a caretaker instead. However, that decision lies solely in the Congress, not the Commission on Elections (Comelec). For our part, we will be prepared if they call for a special elections,” added Sarno.

The Comelec North District said concerns on health protocols will also be another factor why the Congress may not choose to hold a special election.

Sarno said the guidelines for a safe election against the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has not yet been laid as no one expects an election until 2022.

Still, a special election is possible if the Congress wishes for one.

The more viable option, says Sarno, would be appointing an incumbent representative to be the caretaker of the district. This representative may come from any province, region, or city, under the prerogative of the House Speaker, who will handle the representation of the district in current Congress.

Cebu City South District Representative Rodrigo “Bebot” Abellanosa said in a text message to reporters that a caretaker is also the most likely choice of the House of Representatives.

“There will be no special elections. The standard practice when a district representative passes away is for the Speaker to appoint a caretaker who is also an incumbent member of the House of Representatives,” said Abellanosa.

Although he is the most viable candidate for a caretaker, being the city’s remaining representative, Abellanosa said he would want someone else to be the caretaker instead.

He said that House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, who is a close friend of the Del Mar family, should be the caretaker of Cebu City’s North District.

“It is my wish that Speaker Lord Allan Velasco, who is a close friend of Cong. Raul, ex-Cong. Cutie, and of the Del Mar family, be the caretaker of Cebu City 1st District for the continuity of Cong. Raul’s projects and programs for our City constituents,” he added.

The final choice for a caretaker lies on House Speaker Velasco as soon as Congress has declared a vacancy on the legislative seat.  /rcg