Longer terms for bgy execs seen to favor polls in 2022

WITH the longer terms for incumbent barangay officials comes the greater risk they will be tapped to campaign for would-be candidates for the 2022 polls, a poll watchdog has warned.

The National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) issued the concern on Monday with the looming postponement of the 2020 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Election (BSKE).

Namfrel Secretary-General Eric Alvia said this will give assurances to those running for 2022 elections that their campaign “infrastructure” at the grassroots level will already be in place.

“We know that [their] infrastructure for the campaign is through the barangay. Why would they [2020 candidates] take the risks to shuffle it?” Alvia said.

He said the 2020 BSKE is not in the best interest of 2022 candidates since it will force them to spend again to get the support of the newly elected barangay officials.

“There is also no guarantee that they will get the allegiance of the new officials. That is why they would prefer to no longer replace [the incumbent],” Alvia said.

Citing the Omnibus Election Code, the Commission on Elections maintains its position that the barangay officials should be nonpartisan during elections.

“But reality points otherwise. All resources fall to the barangay or [are] coursed through it,” Alvia said.

There is now a high chance the 2020 BSKE will be postponed after the House of Representatives and the Senate passed their respective bills for it.

President Duterte has been supporting the deferment of the 2020 BSKE to allow barangay officials to implement their projects.