Cordillera poll executives want elections reset

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – Election officials in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) are pushing for the rescheduling of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls in the region to the devastation wreaked by typhoon “Juan.”

Comelec-CAR regional director Julius Torres said they recommended to the Comelec to reset the Oct. 25 polls in Benguet, Baguio City, Mt. Province, Ifugao and Kalinga because of the typhoon’s devastating effects.

Elections in these provinces, except for Abra and Apayao, was recommended by the provincial election supervisors themselves to be moved at least for a week so that poll infrastructure would be ready, Torres said.  

The Comelec official said their recommendation for the postponement was largely based on the absence of electricity and difficulty in transportation because of landslides and rockslides on most roads.

This, as more than 70 candidates in the barangay polls in this city held a Prayer of Hope (Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Elections) at the Baguio City police headquarters yesterday morning.