Comelec hopes Duterte’s SONA would tackle barangay polls

The Commission on Elections-Cebu is hoping that President Rodrigo Duterte would tackle the proposed deferment of barangay elections during his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 24.

There are pending bills at the Senate and at the House of Representatives to move this year’s elections to October 2018 and to May 2020, respectively.

Congress will start its second regular session on July 24, when Duterte will deliver his second SONA.

Lawyer Lionel Castillano, Cebu Provincial Election supervisor, said legislators should decide soon whether or not the October 23 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections will push through.

Castillano said the poll body needs to know the decision before the commission will start printing ballots and bid out supplies for the polls.

The printing of ballots is supposed to start on July 20, but Comelec deferred it pending the decision of the Congress. Comelec will wait until August 15 for Congress to decide if the barangay elections will push through.

"Maayo unta maapil na sa SONA...by that time, di mi makapadayon og award sa mga gi-bid namo nga mga materials otherwise magkalas ang Comelec og kwarta sa gobyerno," Castillano said.

He, however, said they have already started printing the list of voters.

Castillano said preparations for the barangay polls will continue unless the Congress otherwise enacts a law postponing the elections.

He said the preparations are supposed to conclude this month, but it was moved to August 21 because of some operational problems.

"It was moved to August 21 because dili tanan nato opisina naa’y supplies. In fact, ang uban anang opisina, naa’y pud diperensya ang ilahang printer," he said.

Most of the expenses incurred by the Comelec were for voter’s registration, which could also be used for the 2019 midterm polls.

But election materials might be put to waste if Congress won’t decide soon, Castillano said.

Duterte has recommended the postponement, claiming that the barangay polls have become entry points of those involved in the drug trade into mainstream politics.

Duterte has repeatedly said he would like Congress to postpone the barangay elections so he could appoint officers-in-charge.

The president raised fears that drug lords would fund candidates if voting is held in October.

Christell Fatima M. Tudtud/KBQ