Palace: Bill allowing Rody to appoint brgy execs ‘urgent’

MANILA – The bill seeking to postpone the barangay elections and give President Rodrigo Duterte the power to appoint l ocal l eaders will be certified “urgent,” a Malacañang official said Tuesday.

“I am sure it is a priority,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella told a news conference on Tuesday.

On Monday, Rep. Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte filed House Bill No. 5359 to postpone the 2017 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan ( SK) elections to May 2020.

I n October l ast year, President Rodrigo Duterte signed i nto l aw the bill postponing the barangay and SK polls from October 2016 to October 2017.

Under Barber’s bill, all incumbent officials shall be terminated upon the passage of the law.

“President Rodrigo Duterte said that he wants the October 2017 barangay elections postponed because he does not want those financed by drug lords to win,” the congressman said.

“He further said that if the barangay elections would proceed as planned, the winners might be financed by drug money,” he added.

Last week, Duterte claimed that “40 percent” of the barangay captains in the country are linked to illegal drugs.

“Do not commit the mistake of calling for an elections now because narco- politics has entered into the mainstream of Philippine politics,” the President said./