Comelec headquarters in Intramuros, Manila.
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Election (Comelec) will release its decision on whether to postpone the 2023 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in Negros Oriental by the first week of October.
The Comelec made the announcement on Wednesday.
Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo and eight other mayors urged Comelec last June 25 to postpone elections in their province due to “peace and order concerns.”
In response, Comelec Chairman George Garcia organized public hearings on the issue in Negros Oriental. The Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines also took part in those hearings.
“I still can’t give the Comelec decision at the because we’re still weighing all the evidence gathered,” Garcia said in Filipino at the “Kapihan sa Manila Bay” forum.
“You can expect that, by the end of September or no later than the first week of October, we will announce if the elections in Negros would be postponed or not.”
Garcia admitted that the violence in the province could threaten its tourism and business-related endeavors, but he said the Comelec would have to make its decision on the elections based on the law.
He also pointed out that the reported killings in the province had no direct connection to aspiring candidates.
“This coming August, the Comelec will have a command conference with the PNP. We will ask which areas of concern, areas of grave concern, can be placed under Comelec control,” he said.
According to him, the peace and order situation in the province and nationwide remains manageable.
He added that the Comelec would make a detailed report on places under red, yellow, or green status.
Garcia explained that places with serious concerns would be placed under red status and will be under Comelec control. Yellow status refers to areas with few violent incidents and green status refers to those that are peaceful.