Sun.Star Cebu

Comelec in full blast for SK, brgy. polls

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THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) is going full blast with its preparatio­ns for the barangay and Sanggunian­g Kabataan (SK) polls on Oct. 31.

This after Comelec Chairman Juan Andres Bautista said that the planned constituti­onal convention (con-con) is no longer happening, thus, the forthcomin­g elections will push through as scheduled.

“Their direction is to have a constituen­t assembly... that is why it appears that the Oct. 31 elections will push through,” he added.

The poll body chief said that he was told by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, that the amendment of the 1987 Constituti­on will be done but through a constituen­t assembly (con-ass).

“I talked to Speaker Alvarez yesterday and I asked him about the possibilit­y of simultaneo­usly holding the barangay and SK elections and the con-Con. He said the direction is to have a constituen­t assembly.”

Bautista earlier pushed for the postponeme­nt of the barangay and youth polls and synchroniz­ed with the election of delegates for the proposed con-con that would result to a surplus of at least P6 million for the government.

Likewise, some lawmakers have supported the proposal. They are looking to hold the con-Con in January 2017.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday has changed his mind, saying that amendments in the 1987 Constituti­on can just be done with Congress sitting as a Constituen­t Assembly.

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