Brgy, SK polls to be held May 14 in Mindanao – except in Marawi

Except in Marawi, the May 14 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections will push through in Mindanao. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) cited the prevailing conditions in Marawi City as reason for the suspension of the village and youth polls there.

“The Commission en Banc today resolved to suspend the conduct of the BSKE2018 (Barangay, Sangguniang Kabataan Elections 2018) only in Marawi City,” Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez said in a statement.

“The BSKE2018 in the rest of Mindanao will push thru as scheduled,” he added.

After three months, Jimenez said the Commission will reassess the suspension of the BSKE2018 in Marawi City, to determine whether to go ahead with the elections at that time.

The Comelec earlier conducted three public hearings on the possible postponement of the village and youth polls in Mindanao to give all interested parties the opportunity to be heard.

Jimenez said it was crucial for them to verify that the conditions for free and fair elections are present in spite of the persistence of martial law in that part of the country.

Based on Section 5, Article 1 of the Omnibus Election Code, the Comelec may motupropio postpone elections in a particular location, after due notice and hearing therein, when the holding of free, orderly and honest elections should become impossible due to any serious cause such as violence, terrorism, loss or destruction of election paraphernalia, and other analogous causes of such nature.