TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines — The Comelec is set to issue a resolution today (October 22) postponing the barangay election in entire Bohol to a latter date, considering the devastation of the province by the 7.1 magnitude earthquake.
The Comelec en banc came up with the decision during yesterday's closed-door meeting in Manila where Bohol 3rd District Rep. Arthur Yap strongly lobbied for the postponement of the entire province instead of only 10 areas deemed in worst situation.
Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. was already ready to issue a resolution by Friday to postpone the barangay election in 10 areas only, based on the consultation and assessment of local election officers.
These areas are the towns of Sagbayan, Carmen, Antequera, Maribojoc, Loon, Calape, Tubigon, Clarin, Inabanga and San Isidro.
However, Brillantes held the issuance of the resolution after receiving the resolution of the Provincial Board, also last Friday, requesting for the postponement of the barangay election in the entire province. He eventually decided to go to Bohol last Sunday and check the actual situation there.
The issue of postponing the barangay polls was tackled in a meeting at the People's Mansion in the city Sunday with the Comelec-7 regional director, DILG Secretary Mar Roxas, DSWD Sec. Dinky Soliman, Provincial Election Supervisor Eliseo Labaria, Rep. Yap, Rep. Rene Relampagos, Rep. Erico Aristotle Aumentado, Gov. Edgar Chatto, Vice-Gov. Concepcion Lim, lawyer Emmanuel Tumanda (president of the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. or BCCI) and Liga ng mga Barangay provincial federation president Madelone Rengel.
During the meeting, the BCCI also submitted a separate resolution pointing out that with the situation, no one could think well of the election.
Even after the meeting wrapped up, Brillantes remained undecided if the postponement should cover the entire Bohol.
With the insistence of Yap during the closed-door en banc meeting of the Comelec, Brillantes finally gave in, but the final date will only be stated in the resolution that will be issued today (October 22). (FREEMAN)