Consideration of Senate Bill on Postponement of Barangay Elections was Stalled on a Technicality

The consideration of Senate Bill No. 1660 on the postponement of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections was stalled due to a technicality raised by Sen. Aquilino Q. Pimentel Jr.

Sen. Zubiri sponsored the measure for second reading on October 2, 2007 upon the request of Sen. Richard J. Gordon, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments, Revision of Codes and Laws when the latter left the country for Geneva, Switzerland for the International Red Cross board meeting last October 1, 2007.

Sen. Pimentel invokes Section 71 (b) of the Senate Rules which states that, "Sponsorship by the committee chairman (of bills on second reading), or by any member designated by the committee." When asked how he was designated as sponsor of the measure by Sen. Gordon, Sen. Zubiri said that he was verbally requested by Sen. Gordon to sponsor SB 1660 last Monday, Oct. 1, before Sen. Gordon left for Geneva, and Sen. Zubiri agreed to the request, being a good soldier,he said.

Sen. Pimentel then said that that was not the way to designate a sponsor of a measure on second reading as stipulated on Section 71 (b) of the Senate Rules and moved for the deferment of the consideration of SB 1660, which Sen. Francis Pangilinan, the majority leader, did not oppose.

Sen. Zubiri stressed he was prepared to defend the measure but he respects the will of the chamber to defer consideration of the measure.

Sen. Gordon as Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional Amendments was ready to sponsor the measure on Monday, Oct. 1, 2007 but the number of signatures required for the committee report to be considered on second reading was met only after the session last Monday had already been adjourned.