EDITORIAL - Trouble in the Comelec

Just over a month after the general elections, the Commission on Elections must prepare for another vote in October, this time for barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan or youth council positions, with thousands of seats at stake.

Barangay and SK officials represent the government at the grassroots. The officials play a direct role in keeping communities safe and clean, in enforcing the law against domestic violence, in keeping out the drug menace and preventing the creation of informal settlements particularly along risk areas such as riverbanks. Barangay officials also collect certain business fees and play a key role in making a community attractive to job-generating enterprises.

Voters’ choices in October can spell the difference in the efficient delivery of many basic services. This makes it important for the Comelec to be properly prepared for the village and SK elections. Preparation, however, is likely to be stalled as Comelec commissioners feud with their chairman.

The feud erupted in the open as an eight-page memorandum dated June 3 surfaced this week, in which all six Comelec commissioners expressed their position that there is “a failure of leadership” in the poll body. The memorandum asked Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista to shed light on 17 issues faced by the commission before and after the May 9 elections. Among the 17 issues are the delayed release of honoraria for teachers who rendered poll duty as well as Bautista’s pronouncement that the barangay and SK elections should be postponed.

Bautista, who went overseas with his son on Thursday when the memorandum surfaced, said the “failure of leadership” was best refuted by the success of the May 9 elections. He was taken to task by Commissioners Sheriff Abas, Rowena Guanzon, Luie Tito Guia, Arthur Lim, Christian Robert Lim and Al Parreño.

The six stressed that they were not seeking Bautista’s resignation, and that they issued a memorandum mainly because the chairman refused to sit down and discuss matters with them. The feuding has raised doubts on whether the Comelec will be up to the task of conducting the barangay and SK polls.

With another electoral exercise just four months away, the Comelec must also prepare for the midterm elections in 2019 as well as resolve many issues related to the May 2016 vote. These tasks can only be hampered by Comelec infighting. Comelec officials must quickly resolve their differences and work as one in ensuring the integrity of upcoming elections.