Section 23Sec./Art. 23

Permanent Vacancies in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. -(a) Permanent vacancies in thesangguniang panlalawiganwhere automatic succession as provided for in this Act does not apply shall be filed by appointment by the President, through the Executive Secretary.

(b) Only the nominee of the political party under which thesanggunianmember concerned had been elected and whose elevation to the position next higher in rank created the last vacancy in thesanggunianshall be appointed in the manner herein provided. The appointee shall come from the same political party as that of thesanggunianmember 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 conditionssine qua non,and any appointment without such nomination and certification shall be null and voidab initioand shall be a ground for administrative action against the official responsible therefor.

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

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