MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday said it will hold a special election for the representative in the lone district of Batanes following the passing of lawmaker Ciriaco Gato Jr.
Gato died at the age of 66 on Monday due to cardiac arrest. He became Batanes’ lone district representative in 2019 and was reelected in 2022 and 2025.
READ: Batanes Rep. Gato passes away, House confirms
According to Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia, poll body’s field officials will convene for a meeting on Tuesday.
“Nagpatawag po tayo ng emergency meeting ng ating field officials ngayong araw. Kailangan po may special election ng hindi maaga sa 60 araw at hindi hihigit ng 90 araw mula po kahapon,” he told reporters in a Viber message.
(We called for an emergency meeting for our field officials today. We need to have special elections not earlier than 60 days and not later than 90 days from yesterday.)
When asked if the special elections can be done simultaneously with the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) scheduled on November 2, 2026, Garcia said that it may be possible.
READ: Special election seen just extending Barzaga dynasty
“Kung matutuloy ang BSKE sa November 2, baka po kayanin. Kaya lang wala pa 60 days,” he added.
(If the BSKE will push through on November 2, maybe we can do that. But it has not been 60 days yet [since the vacancy].)
The Comelec has so far conducted two special elections this year for district representative posts.
The first one was held for the second legislative district of Antipolo City last March 14 after the passing of former lawmaker Romeo Acop. His son, Philip Conrad, won the race.
The latest special elections were held last August 29 for the lone district of Dasmariñas City, Cavite, where former Dasmariñas City Mayor Jenny Austria-Barzaga filled the seat vacated by his son Kiko.
Kiko was expelled by the House of Representatives last June 2 over his “disruptive” and “disorderly” behavior. /jpv
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