Mayor opposes barangay/SK polls postponement

MAYOR Mauricio Domogan said he is not keen on favoring the postponement of the Barangay election this October as well as the selection of barangay officials thru appointment by the President, being a violation of the Constitution.

Domogan said he prefers the barangay officials be chosen by the electorate in an electoral process.

The mayor also said the postponement of the barangay election as well as the selection process for the next set of barangay officials by appointment of the President is a violation of the Constitution.

Domogan, also a lawyer, added appointing the next set of barangay officials is a deprivation of the people's right to select their representative thru an election process. “Our Constitution states that government officials including the barangay officials are selected by winning the election.”

“The election gives our constituents the liberty to the select who their barangar officials,” he said.

President Duterte has repeated in his many speeches his opposition to the conduct of the barangay election to prevent narcopoliticians from holding office or even using drug money for to get a seat.

“The proliferation of illegal drugs is one of the reasons why the President like to postpone the barangay election,” Domogan said.

“But as far as I am concerned, let’s give the people their rights to select their barangay officials thru a barangay election,” Domogan added.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said that they are still pursuing the preparation for the barangay election in October as there has yet to be a formal postponement of its conduct. PNA