House panel approves barangay, SK polls postponement

A House of Representatives’ panel on Monday approved the proposal to postpone the October 2017 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections. (Photo by Coat of Arms of the Philippines.svg: Vectorized by Zachary Harden (Zscout370).Seal of the Philippine House of Representatives.png: The original uploader was Exec8 at English Wikipedia.Later version(s) were uploaded by RNAlonto, SunKing at English Wikipedia /* derivative work: NikNaks – Own work based on: House of Representatives / Congress of the Philippineshttp, Public Domain)

MANILA, Aug. 14 — A House of Representatives’ panel on Monday approved the proposal to postpone the October 2017 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.

Voting 19-2, members of the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms, chaired by CIBAC Partylist Rep. Sherwin Tugna, approved the postponement of barangay polls to the second Monday of May 2018.

The said proposal also seeks to retain the incumbent barangay officials in a holdover capacity.

The two lawmakers who voted against the deferment of polls were ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. Antonio Tinio and Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas.

In an ambush interview after the hearing, Tugna said he expects plenary approval of the measure before the end of August.

“Sa palagay ko sa Lower House, kung sakaling bukas magkakaroon tayo ng second reading sa plenary, hindi na po aabot sa dulo ng buwan ng Agosto,” Tugna said.

Last Monday, the all-party caucus agreed to postpone it again to May 2018 to supposedly synchronize the barangay elections with the proposed plebiscite for Charter change and the Bangsamoro Basic Law.