Comelec postpones 5 plebiscites

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will postpone five plebiscites, including one that will decide whether to divide Maguindanao into two provinces, until after the May 9, 2022, national and local elections.

In a resolution issued last week, the Comelec said it needed to set a cut-off date for the conduct of plebiscites in order to put all its resources into the preparation for next year’s national and local elections.

The plebiscites, which the Comelec said will be conducted “within four months from the end of the election period,” were supposed to ratify dividing Maguindanao into two provinces; converting the municipality of Calaca in Batangas province into a component city; converting San Jose Del Monte City into a highly urbanized city; creating Barangay New Canaan in the municipality of Alabel, Sarangani; and merging Barangay District 1 with Barangay District 28 and renaming Barangay 29 in Ormoc City. —DONA Z. PAZZIBUGAN