Senator shoots down Iloilo City redistricting bill
June 23, 2009 8:10 am
ILOILO CITY, June 23 – Senator Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino Jr. has expressed opposition to the much awaited plan to divide this southern city into two congressional districts.
The senator, chairman of the Senate committee on local governments, admitted over a radio interview on Tuesday that the senators are quite busy and have very limited time to conduct a hearing on the House bill submitted by Iloilo City Rep. Raul Gonzalez Jr. calling for redistricting of the city.
Aquino said that there are more important bills his committee has to tackle rather than conduct a hearing on the redistricting bill of Iloilo City.
He also noted that the Constitutional requirement on population for redistricting was not met.
He said he had talked with former Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr., Rep. Raul Gonzalez Jr. and city Mayor Jerry P. Treñas on the Constitutional criteria on population.
“I don’t see any reason the Senate will pass the bill since it is open to Constitutional challenge at the Supreme Court if the Senate approves it,” Aquino said.
Iloilo City has more than 417,000 population as of 2007 census and the proposed second district composed of the city districts of Molo, Arevalo and the city proper will only have some 173,533 which is very much short of the 250,000 population requirement in the Constitution to become a congressional district, the senator from Tarlac said.
He added that the Makati experience asking for additional congressional district is a different situation with that of Iloilo City because Makati has fulfilled the Constitutional requirement. (PNA)
LAP/LCPendon/vlo
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