Namfrel displeased over deferment of barangay, SK polls

MANILA, Philippines — The National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) yesterday expressed displeasure over the impending deferment of the May 2020 barangay and  Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls.

Eric Alvia, Namfrel secretary general, said the government should cease from trivializing the barangay and SK elections.

“They now find it very easy to look for reasons or excuses to postpone the barangay and SK elections. They now find it very negligible already,” Alvia noted.

Alvia issued the statement after the House of Representatives approved  the bill resetting the May 2020 barangay and SK elections to December 2022.

Under a democratic system of government, Alvia said, elections should be given importance and not be considered insignificant.

He further questioned why the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is not being consulted on whether to postpone or not the scheduled elections.

“You should not postpone elections just by a whim or any simple excuse. In fact, it has to be a very grave reason to postpone it,” Alvia pointed out.

“And it should be the Comelec recommending for the postponement, as provided by law,” he added.

Last September, the Senate approved on final reading the measure postponing the barangay and SK elections.

The village and youth council elections have been postponed twice under the Duterte administration.