No more plebiscites for Comelec by August, except for BBL if passed into law

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has announced that it will stop holding plebiscites starting August 1 to give way to the preparations for the 2016 presidential balloting but it can make an exemption should the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law be finally enacted.

In a resolution, the Comelec counted six pending requests for a plebiscite, as of Sunday, but five of these will have to be deferred until after the national elections on May 9, 2016.

Most of these plebiscites were for the change of the names of certain barangay (villages) and the creation of new villages.

Of the six, only the plebiscite for the creation of seven new barangay in San Pedro, Laguna, will push through on July 11, according to the election body.

But the Comelec also stressed that it could exercise its discretion and still hold referendums anytime or simultaneously with the May 9 balloting if deemed necessary.

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said a plebiscite for the BBL, which would create the so-called “Bangsamoro entity,” could also be held even before the forthcoming balloting once and if enacted by Congress.

“If the Comelec decides that it is necessary to hold a plebiscite between now and next year, that can be done,” said Jimenez. “But the BBL plebiscite is not considered as among those deferred because it hasn’t been scheduled yet,” he noted.