BAGUIO CITY – The Commission on Elections in the Cordillera Administrative Region (Comelec-CAR) said a vacancy will be declared in case reelected Benguet Lone District Rep. Eric Yap is not proclaimed before the supposed start of his term on June 30.
Yap is facing seven disqualification cases over questions on his citizenship, alleged violation of the Fair Elections Act and vote buying, thus the order to suspend his proclamation originally set May 13.
“In case the winning candidate is not proclaimed before the start of the term, Congress can opt to declare a vacancy and appoint a caretaker or hold a special election,” Comelec-CAR Director Julius Torres said in a media interview on Monday.
Yap obtained 144,093 votes while his closest rival, Vice Governor Ericson Felipe, received 62,371.
Torres is hoping the Comelec central office would resolve the issue before the start of the term.
“Ginagawa ng ahensiya ang mga hakbang upang maresolba ang usapin (The agency is making steps to resolve the issue),” he said.
He said it is Congress which will decide whether to hold a special election or appoint a caretaker.
Yap was also appointed as the caretaker of the Benguet congressional district following the demise of Nestor Fongwan in 2019. He was first elected as representative in 2022.
Torres clarified that the losing candidate could not be appointed as replacement or a caretaker in case of a declaration of vacancy.
Yap said in a social media post that his camp filed perjury cases against those who filed the complaints against him. **Liza Agoot
