MANILA – The Commission on Elections said it will study and discuss the concurrent resolution of Congress seeking to include the 10 Enlisted Men's Barrio (EMBO) barangays to the legislative districts of Taguig and Pateros.

The resolution aims to allow the over 200,000 registered EMBO voters to be properly represented in the House of Representatives.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia said on Thursday they can now look into the resolution after receiving a copy from Congress.

"Yun naman pong sa issue ng pagboto sa Kongreso o congressman o congresswoman nila, yan paguusapan namin ngayon. Ngayon nga lang po katatanggap lang namin ng mismong kopya ng concurrent resolution ng Senado at ng House of Representatives. Paguusapan namin yung legal na implikasyon," he said.

In Comelec Resolution No. 11069 promulgated on September 25, the en banc adopted the recommendations of the Election Records and Statistics Department and the Office of the Deputy Executive Director for Operations to “favorably consider” Ordinance No. 144 of Taguig City.

Under the ordinance, there will be an increase in the number of seats for the Sangguniang Panlungsod from eight to 12 for each councilor district.

The 10 EMBO barangays will be divided among the two districts:

First Legislative and Councilor District

- Comembo

- Pembo

- Rizal

Second Legislative and Councilor District

- Cembo

- South Cembo

- East Rembo

- West Rembo

- Pitogo

- Post Proper Northside

- Post Proper Southside

The ordinance also includes the amendment of Resolution No. 11050 over the allocation of seats for the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Taguig City.

"Kung sakaling yan ay papayagan namin ng Comelec, ibig sabihin makakaboto yung sampung barangay sa bawat distrito. Meron na silang bobotahan na distrito, at the same time, pwedeng may tumakbo galing mismo sa distrito na yan para sa congressman sa naturang distrito," he said.

"Bakit meron tayong kababayan na hindi makakaboto dahil lamang sa ganitong sitwasyon? So ngayon na nasa amin na [ang resolusyon, gagawa at gagawa ng paraan ang Comelec para pabotohin ang ating mga kababayan sa 10 barangay kahit sa anong posisyon sa darating na elections," Garcia added.

The Senate approved Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 23 despite the heated exchange between Senators Alan Peter Cayetano and Juan Miguel Zubiri before the adjournment of session on Tuesday night.

Zubiri questioned the discussion of the resolution despite it not being in the agenda.

The House of Representatives adopted House concurrent resolution No. 37 on Wednesday night.

In a statement, Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano thanked both the Senate and the House for their support in passing the concurrent resolution.

She said this “ensures fair representation and protects the voting rights of the 10 EMBO barangays” which now belong to Taguig.