Barangay officials need not vacate posts till 2007

Incumbent barangay officials can continue performing their duties and need not vacate their posts for the next two years, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) clarified yesterday.

Milagros Desamito, Comelec Education and Information Department (EID) director, said all barangay officials shall remain in their office due to the passage of Republic Act 9340.

"Unless removed for a cause, incumbent barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials nationwide shall remain in office till October 2007," Desamito said to answer queries concerning the terms of barangay and SK officials.

Desamito explained that the new law mandates the resetting of the synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections on the last Monday of October 2007.

Barangay and SK elections were supposed to be held at the end of this month but Congress opted to defer the political exercise until 2007 due to budgetary constraints.

Comelec sought for P2.8 billion budget for the synchronized barangay and SK elections this year.

Earlier, Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos urged Congress to enact a new law that would allow local government officials to appoint barangay and SK leaders instead of holding elections.

Abalos said the government could save at least P2.5 billion only if Congress would amend the existing law and change the barangay positions into non-elective posts.

The Comelec chief also urged Congress to defer the barangay elections by another year or till 2008 to give the incumbent officials a full term of six years.