Solons hit for silence on polls postponement
A LOCAL youth group yesterday slammed the district representatives of Cagayan de Oro City and Misamis Oriental for not consulting their constituents and other sectors regarding the looming postponement of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.
Kenneth Piloton, president and executive director of Barug Kabatan-onan Movement Inc. (Barug), said congressmen in the city and the province may have been deciding on their own without feeling the pulse of their respective constituents.
“Sa among nahibaw-an pabor sila sa postponement kay kasagara sa ila nagsuporta man kang President Duterte ug sa federalism. Pero so far walay gakahitabo nga consultations according sa among network (As far as we know, they favored the postponement because most of them support President Duterte and Federalism. But, there has been no consultation about the issue),” Piloton said.
Piloton said elected congressmen are called district representatives because they represent not only themselves but also the voice of their respective districts in the house of representatives.
But, he said no consultations were made regarding poll postponement before these representatives could lobby and raise their positions in the congress.
Piloton said several youth organizations have been wanting the elections to push through and ‘it should have been the position that our representatives should bring in congress too.’
“Gusto ang mga kabatan-onan og election mao pud unta dapat ilang position kay mao man ang position sa ilang constituents (The youth wants an election, district representatives should have raised this in congress),’ Piloton said.
The group also wants these representatives to explain and let their constituents understand their ‘personal’ decision to favor the postponement of the election.
“Subo kaayo ta kay during sa kampanya moingon sila nga (we are saddened because election campaign they say) ‘I will bring your voice in congress’ pero dihang nakalingkod na dili na makonsulta ang katawhan (But after they won, they have then forgotten to consult their constituents),” Piloton added.
The group is currently doing an online campaign to oppose the poll postponement.
From 30, the number of youth groups who signed the joint statement raised to 71. The position paper is sent in the lower house on Thursday.
Piloton said they are also willing to support and join other groups who will initiate mobilization.
Vennel Chenfoo, regional coordinator of Kabataan Party List, said they will take to the streets their opposition to the another round of postponement.
“In the coming days duna gyud panaghiusa sa mga kabataan aron kondenahon ug kontrahon ang postponement sa barangay ug SK elections ( In the coming days the youth will unite to condemn and oppose the postponement),” Chenfoo said.