Section 21Sec./Art. 21

Permanent Vacancies in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. (a) Permanent vacancies in the sangguniang panlalawigan where automatic succession as provided does not apply shall be filled by appointment by the President, through the Executive Secretary.

(b) Only the nominee of the political party under which the sanggunian member concerned had been elected and whose elevation to the position next higher in rank created the last vacancy in the sanggunian shall be appointed in the manner herein provided. The appointee shall come from the same political party as that of the sanggunian member who caused the vacancy and shall serve the unexpired term of the vacant office.

In the appointment herein mentioned, a nomination and a certificate of membership of the appointee from the highest official of the political party concerned are conditions sine qua non, and any appointment without such nomination and certification shall be null and void ab initio and shall be a ground for administrative action against the official responsible therefor.

(c) In case the permanent vacancy is caused by a sanggunian member who does not belong to any political party, the provincial governor shall, upon recommendation of the sangguniang panlalawigan, appoint a qualified person to fill in the vacancy.

(d) In case of vacancy in the representation of the sangguniang kabataan, the sangguniang barangay and the provincial league of councilors in the sangguniang panlalawigan, said vacancy shall be filled in automatically by the official next-in-rank of the organization concerned.