Reactions to polls reset varied
CEBU CITY – The postponement of the October 23 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections drew mixed reactions from government and church leaders here.
Last Monday, President Duterte signed Republic Act 10952 resetting the elections to May next year.
Cebu Mayor Tomas Osmeña sees the postponement of the elections as also the postponement of democracy.
“I just would like to remind the people that the essence of democracy is the selection of leaders by the people. That is why you call it democratic,” he said.
The mayor made it clear he is not “anti-Duterte,” but “pro-democracy regardless of who is president.”
Cebu Governor Hilario Davide said he had wanted the simultaneous elections to push through this month. But because the President signed the law, he is glad the issue was finally settled.
Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto said the move did not surprise him since he has been hearing about the postponement for quite some time.
“It (the postponement) gives our people a breathing space from another electoral skirmishes,” Chatto said.
“It’s only a matter of about six months so not a long postponement after the several postponements already that happened. I welcome that development,” he said.
Chatto was in Cebu to speak before a number of representatives from local government units in the Mega Cebu Leaders’ Summit.
Association of Barangay Councils – Cebu City Chapter President Phillip Zafra said moving the polls to May will give government leaders more time to focus on their jobs and that “this will be a challenge for us all to do more and to give more in service.”
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Cebu Provincial Election Supervisor Lionel Castillano said that since the elections will be held in summer,” chances are high that materials and ballots from the central office can be shipped without any weather disturbance, thus, there would be no delay.”
While he favors the postponement, Cebu Archdiocese District 1 Episcopal Vicar Msgr. Ruben Labajo hopes the President would keep his promise to not appoint interim barangay officials.
“The question there really is not when will the elections happen but I just hope Duterte will not appoint officials... It must be the voice of the people, the voice of the majority that should be heard,” Labajo said.
Under the new law, incumbent barangay and SK officials will stay in office until their successors are elected, or until an incumbent official is sooner “removed or suspended for cause.”