Comelec hopes for Congress quick decision on fate of barangay, SK polls

COMELEC, Palacio del Gobernador, Intramuros. (Photo by Elmer B. Domingo – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0.)

MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is hoping that the Congress will immediately decide on whether to push through or not with the holding of Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections slated on October 23.

According to Commissioner Luie Guia, it is important for lawmakers to decide early on the scheduled polls since it is not that easy to prepare for such activity.

“Just to stress again, preparing national elections is a big logistics heavy project. Time is important. @Comelec hopes for an early decision,” he said in his Twitter account, @LTFGuia.

The poll body official noted that without the decision from legislators, they have no choice but to prepare for holding of the October polls.

“Existing laws say @Comelec has to prepare for the October elections. Unless the law is repealed, it will proceed with its preparations,” Guia added.

On the other hand, the poll body official believed that regular holding elections would be good for democracy.

“Genuine and democratic elections need to be ‘periodic’. Meaning, it should be held at regular intervals,” Guia said.

He added, “Regularity of holding elections is consistent with elections being an instrument of accountability of (elected) government leaders.”

Guia cited such principles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).

Article 21 of the UDHR states that the will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; and that it shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections.

There are pending bills in the Senate and House of Representatives that seeks at postponing the village and youth elections to October 2018 and May 2020, respectively.

Earlier, President Rodrido expressed support to postpone anew the Barangay and SK polls, which was originally scheduled last Oct. 31, 2016.