The Philippine Online Chronicles

The Commission on Elections said on Friday that it might hold special elections to fill up the vacancy at the House of Representatives after the death of Negros Occidental Representative Ignacio “Iggy” Arroyo.

Arroyo, who represents the 5^th district of Negros Occidental, succumbed to cardiac arrest on Jan. 26. He was in London at that time, seeking liver treatment. The 5^th district includes Himamaylan City and the towns of Binalbagan, Hinigaran, Isabela, La Castellana and Moises Padilla.

Comelec spokesperson said they are ready for special elections but “The House needs to declare the seat vacant before the Comelec can do anything.”

However, the declaration should be made a year before the 2013 elections, according to law. Under the Synchronized Election Act of 1991 or the Republic Act. No. 7166, in case of a vacancy at the House of Representatives, the Comelec shall call for and hold a special election not earlier than 60 days nor longer than 90 days after the occurrence of the vacancy.

In the meantime, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said “following our custom, the House will ensure that the needs of Representative Arroyo’s constituency will be addressed despite his passing.”

Negros Occidental provincial elections supervisor Jessie Suarez said he doubted that a special election could be held this soon but they could assign a caretaker representative from a nearby district in the meantime.

Arroyo, also the brother-in-law of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, was already serving his third and last term at the House of Representatives. It was his brother former first gentleman Mike Arroyo who announced the news.

The Negros Occidental solon had been in London since October. His older sister Marilou Arroyo said they were shocked upon hearing the news since Iggy told them days before that he was planning to return home within a month.

Life support

Earlier reports of his death was followed by clarification that Arroyo was clinically dead but was still on life support.

“Maybe there was confusion because when you say one is clinically dead, it would seem that the person is already dead,” Arroyo’s chief-of-staff Edgar Ruado said.

Later, it was reported that the solon was taken off life support.

With his family in the Philippines and only his common-law wife Grace Ibuna accompanying him in London, the decision to take Arroyo off life support was allegedly made by Ibuna.

Meanwhile, his legal wife Alicia Rita Morales Arroyo said she will file criminal charges against Ibuna for pulling the plug on the comatosed solon.

Alicia Arroyo’s lawyers allege that Ibuna passed herself off as “Grace Ibuna” and gave the directive to turn off the life support.

“I would have decided differently,” said Alicia Arroyo.

“I had no idea who authorized the hospital to pull the plug. We are pro-life – Iggy and I,” she added.

Since the annulment of their marriage did not prosper, Alicia is still the legal wife.

Her lawyer Irene Garcia also said that Ibuna may be liable for usurpation of status if it is proven that she claimed to be Iggy’s legal wide.

The couple has a 14-year-old daughter in the custody of Alicia.

Jose Pidal

In 2003, Mike Arroyo was accused of keeping a multimillion-peso bank account under the name Jose Pidal, but it was Iggy who claimed the account. Last year, the solon again came to the rescue of his brother, stating that the second-hand choppers allegedly sold as brand new to the Philippine National Police were not from his brother but a helicopter dealer Lionair Inc. It was the Arroyo firm LTA (Lourdes T. De Arroyo) Inc., that leased the five choppers to Lionair, Arroyo said.