Macalintal appeals SC ruling on BSKE reset

MANILA, Philippines —  The Supreme Court (SC) may uphold the constitutionality of the law fixing the term of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials to five years, but should nullify the two-year postponement of the BSK elections to November 2028, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal proposed.

In a motion for partial reconsideration electronically filed on Tuesday, he proposed a “win-win solution” as he challenged the SC’s ruling affirming the constitutionality of Republic Act 12326.

“The win-win solution I am offering is two-fold: first, to declare constitutional the power of Congress to extend the term of office of barangay and SK officials and second, to declare unconstitutional and violative of the 2023 Macalintal guidelines the consequential postponement of the November 2026 BSKE (barangay and SK election),” he said in a statement.

By presenting the proposal, he argued that the power of Congress to determine terms of office would be “sustained,” while the voters would “rejoice as their sacred right of suffrage is fully restored and vindicated.”

On the other hand, Macalintal wanted the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to schedule the next BSKE “on the earliest practicable date, with the five-year term of office… to apply to the officials elected therein and the next regular elections to be

Macalintal appeals SC ruling on BSKE reset

MANILA, Philippines —  The Supreme Court (SC) may uphold the constitutionality of the law fixing the term of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials to five years, but should nullify the two-year postponement of the BSK elections to November 2028, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal proposed.

In a motion for partial reconsideration electronically filed on Tuesday, he proposed a “win-win solution” as he challenged the SC’s ruling affirming the constitutionality of Republic Act 12326.

“The win-win solution I am offering is two-fold: first, to declare constitutional the power of Congress to extend the term of office of barangay and SK officials and second, to declare unconstitutional and violative of the 2023 Macalintal guidelines the consequential postponement of the November 2026 BSKE (barangay and SK election),” he said in a statement.

By presenting the proposal, he argued that the power of Congress to determine terms of office would be “sustained,” while the voters would “rejoice as their sacred right of suffrage is fully restored and vindicated.”

On the other hand, Macalintal wanted the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to schedule the next BSKE “on the earliest practicable date, with the five-year term of office… to apply to the officials elected therein and the next regular elections to be held five years thereafter.”