Comelec, Congress to meet over postponement of SK polls–Brillantes

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman  Sixto Brillantes Jr. on Tuesday said he would meet with  Congress  leaders this week to discuss the possible  postponement of the upcoming Sangguniang  Kabataan  or SK elections.

But while waiting for Congress’ decision, Brillantes said they would continue to prepare for the SK and barangay (village) elections slated on October 28.

“Our preparation is tuloy pareho ang SK at barangay kaya lang they have to come out with something within the next few days para malaman kung titigil na kami ng preparation sa SK,” he told reporters after attending the  budget hearing of his office.

(Our preparations continue both for the SK and  barangay elections  but they have to come out with something  within the  next few  days  so  we would know  if  we should stop our preparations  for SK).

“I’m scheduled to talk to the Senate President and the Speaker on the possible SK postponement.  Kakausapin  ko sila (I will talk  to them ) within the week,”  he added.

Brillantes said Congress has until the end  of the month or first week of October to  come  up with a decision.

“Hindi naman mahirap  i-postpone ang SK [It’s not difficult to postpone SK],” he said.

Senator Ferdinand “Bong-Bong “ Marcos Jr., in a separate  interview after the hearing of the Senate  committee on local government on the same issue, said the body has reached a consensus to postpone the SK poll to reform the system.

But Marcos said the committee that he chairs has yet to secure the signatures of its  members  before  its report could be  presented to the  plenary  hopefully next week.

The senator himself is pushing for the SK poll postponement.