Sotto: Congress can change poll date, but can’t extend terms

Congress can pass a law to move the date of the 2019 midterm elections but it can’t do that to extend the term of its members just so they can revise the 1987 Constitution.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Friday issued a clarification about his view on the “no-election” scenario floated by Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez.

“To clarify earlier statements: The date of the election may be changed through a law, as stated in Section 8, Article VI of the 1987 Constitution,” Sotto told reporters in a text message.

“However, if the amended date will be set beyond the term of office provided by law, those members of Congress whose terms end at noon of June 30 cannot have a holdover capacity. Thus, their term of office cannot be extended as an effect of the law changing the date of the election.”—DJ YAP