Comelec 80% ready for barangay, SK polls

MANILA, Philippines — Preparations for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections are almost 80 percent complete. At the Laging Handa briefing yesterday, Commission on Elections Chairman George Erwin Garcia said the Comelec would soon release the resolutions and guidelines for the conduct of the twin polls.

He said the printing of ballots would start this month.

“Dahil sinabi nga natin, all-out na tayo sa preparations. As if hindi namin iniisip iyong mga posibilidad na maaaring ma-postpone ang ating barangay and SK elections,” Garcia said.

Some lawmakers are pushing for the postponement of the barangay and SK polls in December this year ostensibly to save P8 billion. Garcia, however, has  testified that a postponement would cost the country an additional P18 billion.

The House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms approved on Thursday last week its committee report resetting the political exercise to December next year.

Garcia gave assurance that the efforts of the Comelec would not go to waste  because the procured materials and the award of contracts for the delivery of election paraphernalia can still be used in future elections.

Poll watchdogs have also slammed the planned extension of the terms of barangay and SK officials for one more year, after the six-month extension this year.

Until the law postponing the elections is signed, Garcia said the Comelec would continue with its preparations.

Meanwhile, Comelec acting spokesman Rex Laudiangco lauded the Supreme Court (SC) for its decision to lift the temporary restraining order (TRO), which prevented the poll body from allowing inmates to register and vote in succeeding elections.

The SC dismissed the petition filed by lawyer Victor Aguinaldo against the Comelec resolution, which allowed inmates to vote, for failing to present an actual case that may merit a judicial review.

The high court  issued the TRO on March 6, 2016.

Laudiangco said the SC decision ”manifests triumph of electoral inclusivity, societal equality and non-discriminatory justice” for those who are qualified to cast their votes.

Inmates formally charged with any crime and awaiting or undergoing trial are among those who can exercise their right of suffrage.

Those serving prison terms of less than one year or whose conviction for any crime against national security is on appeal are also qualified to cast their votes.