Comelec hands off on postponing barangay, SK polls

MANILA, Philippines — To postpone the May 2020 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls is beyond the mandate of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), a poll official said yesterday.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the holding of the village polls “is not something (that) the Comelec controls.”

“Because the schedule of the #BSKE is contained in a statute, it can be amended by legislation. This is a question addressed to the discretion of Congress,” Jimenez said on Twitter.

In his State of the Nation Address last Monday, President Duterte called on Congress to reschedule the barangay and SK elections from May 2020 to October 2022.

Duterte said this is to provide the incumbent officials more time to finish their programs and projects.

Prior to the barangay and SK polls last year, then incumbent officials had been in office for five years as they were elected in 2013.

But based on Republic Act 10952, those elected in 2018 will only have a two-year term as subsequent election shall be held on the second Monday of May 2020. After this, elections shall be held every three years.

Jimenez said that despite the call of the President, they still have to prepare for next year’s barangay and SK elections.

“Until such time as a postponement law is actually passed by Congress and signed by the President into law, the Comelec is duty-bound to move forward with its preparations,” he said.