Bohol, Zamboanga City village polls set for Nov. 25

The special barangay (village) elections in earthquake-hit Bohol (left) and war-torn and flood-ravaged Zamboanga City (right) will be held on Nov. 25, according to the Commission on Elections. AP and AFP PHOTOS

MANILA, Philippines—The special barangay (village) elections in earthquake-hit Bohol and war-torn and flood-ravaged Zamboanga City will be held on Nov. 25, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said it was agreed upon during the poll body’s en banc session that the special elections in the two places would be held on Nov. 25, five days before the term of the incumbent officials expire on Nov. 30, to prevent them from staying at their posts in a holdover capacity.

In an interview, Brillantes said the poll body was set to issue a resolution containing the details of the special elections.

He said that part of the resolution would deal with the issue of the distribution of relief goods by incumbent barangay officials in Bohol.

“The rehabilitation and distribution of relief goods are ongoing. There is a legal issue whether the candidates for barangay polls may or may not distribute relief goods,” he said.

The Comelec postponed the polls in Bohol following the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck the Central Visayas on Oct. 15.

“There were continuous aftershocks and many schools which will be used as polling centers have not been certified safe to use,” Brillantes said.

Meanwhile, the barangay elections were postponed in Zamboanga City due to the damage caused by the recent armed conflict between government troops and members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

The rest of the country would have the barangay elections on Oct. 28 as scheduled.—Tina G. Santos