■ SIGNED: BARANGAY, SK POLLS POSTPONED TO MAY 2018

The barangay and youth elections will not proceed in three weeks, but will instead be held in May 2018. President Rodrigo Duterte signed last Monday Republic Act 10952, which also states that all incumbent barangay officials shall remain in office until their successors are elected, unless they are suspended or removed. This is the second time Duterte has postponed these elections.

President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a measure postponing the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections to the second Monday of May 2018.

Under Republic Act (RA) 10952 signed on October 2, incumbent village executives shall remain in office until their successors shall have been duly elected or unless they have been removed or suspended.

The new set of barangay and SK officials who will be elected in May 2018 would assume office on June 30 the same year.

“Subsequent synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections shall be held on the second Monday of May 2018 and every three years thereafter,” the newly-signed law read.

RA 10952 provided that the fund for the twin elections, which amounted to P6.09 billion, shall be considered as continuing appropriations and shall be used exclusively for the conduct of the barangay and SK registration and elections in May next year.

Congress has approved a bill seeking to move the village and youth councils elections following Duterte’s persistent claims that drug syndicates would syndicates would take advantage on the possible resumption of the twin polls.

In October 2016, Duterte also signed into law moving the twin elections to October 23, 2017 from October 31, 2016, saying the illegal drugs trade has penetrated 40 percent of villages.

Earlier this year, Duterte expressed fears that candidates for the upcoming elections would use proceeds from the illegal drugs trade for their respective campaigns.