October 29, 2024 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) was urged yesterday to declare void and unconstitutional an ordinance passed by Taguig increasing the number of city councilors from eight to 12 per district.
Retired SC Justice Dante Tinga filed a petition before the high tribunal, challenging the constitutionality of Ordinance No. 144, which was passed by the city council of Taguig on Sept. 16.
Tinga sought a temporary restraining order to stop the implementation of the ordinance.
He also sought the nullification of the Commission on Elections (Comelec)’s Resolution No. 11069 and Concurrent Resolution No. 26 of the Senate and House of Representatives.
Tinga argued that only Congress has the authority to increase the number of council seats, which also requires the approval of the President.
He said the ordinance allowed over 200,000 registered voters of enlisted men’s barrios or embo barangays to vote for district representatives in the 2025 elections.
Comelec Chairman George Garcia defended the poll body’s decision to adopt the ordinance, saying it was based on resolutions both approved by Congress and the city council of Taguig.
“We did not act based on capriciousness, arbitrariness and in a despotic manner, but in ensuring that the electorate of the embo barangays are not disenfranchised,” Garcia said. — Mayen Jaymalin
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