MANILA, Philippines – President Duterte has signed the first law under his administration – postponing the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections scheduled on Oct. 31.
Duterte earlier agreed to the postponement of the SK and barangay elections, saying it would prevent narco-money from being used for the campaign and election of barangay officials linked to illegal drugs.
He said there were about 6,000 local officials, including mayors and barangay captains, who have been linked by law enforcers to illegal drug activities.
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea will have to wait for the courier that would bring to the country the signed law and other documents for transmittal to the government offices concerned, particularly the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Communications Assistant Secretary Ana Marie Banaag did not have immediate information on exactly where the President signed the law – whether in Davao City before his departure, on the plane or in Brunei.
“It was not said whether it was signed in Davao or Brunei. But Executive Secretary Medialdea is awaiting the parcel for proper transmittal. So we’ll wait … for it to be transmitted to proper channels, official proper channels,” she said.
Banaag said an official delegation going back to Manila from Brunei is possibly bringing back the signed measure.
Upon receipt of the original signed document, it can then be numbered into law.
The measure aims to move the SK and barangay elections, originally set on Oct. 31 this year, to the fourth Monday of October next year – Oct. 23.
In the meantime, the terms of incumbent and SK officials will be extended “for a year unless they are removed or suspended from office.”
Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista said the postponement of the barangay and SK elections to next year would allow the commission to focus on voter registration next month.
He said he was happy that the postponement law has been signed.
“We can now focus on the start of our voter registration in November ... I never really thought there was a problem. Probably it was just because the President was busy,” he said.
Asked about the threat of election lawyer Romulo Macalintal to file a petition with the Supreme Court questioning the postponement, Bautista shrugged this off.
“It’s his prerogative. Let the SC decide… we will comply,” Bautista said.
Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara, one of the proponents of the measure, earlier said the foremost reason for pushing through with postponement is to allow more time for the full implementation of the SK Reform Act or Republic Act No. 10742.
Angara said the government was not ready to implement many of the provisions and programs under the SK Reform Act, one of which is the creation of a training fund worth P50 million to be used for the mandatory training of SK officials.
Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said on Monday that the P6-billion budget allocated for the barangay elections this year will be set aside and be made available under the same appropriation for the polls next year. –With Sheila Crisostomo