Village polls may be deferred to 2017 for Con-con, says solon

The majority coalition in the House of Representatives is mulling the deferment of the barangay elections this year in case Congress opts for a Constitutional Convention (Con-con) to amend the Constitution, Davao City Rep. Karlo Nograles said Tuesday.

In an interview, the chairman of the powerful appropriations committee said the barangay elections this year may be deferred to 2017 so that the elections for delegates may be synchronized with the village polls.

The delegates may then convene in 2018 to propose amendments, Nograles said.

The majority coalition is mulling both scenarios of Constitutional Convention, which is the method of amending the Charter through the election of delegates, and the Constituent Assembly, where Congress would convene to propose amendments in the Charter.

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“Kung magko-Con-con tayo, we’ll elect delegates in 2017, meaning to say hindi pa mag-a-assemble ang Con-con until 2018 (If we will have Con-con, we’ll elect delegates in 2017, meaning to say we won’t assemble the Con-con until 2018),” Nograles said.

Nograles said the possibility of deferring the barangay elections was discussed during the majority coalition caucus held Tuesday afternoon.

“Kaya nga pinag-usapan kanina was just to already defer the barangay elections. Pag-usapan natin deferment ng barangay elections to 2017 just in case magkaroon ng Con-con. Isasabay na sa barangay elections. At least nandyan na budget natin,” Nograles said.

(What we discussed awhile ago was just to already defer the barangay elections. Let’s discuss the deferment of the barangay elections to 2017 just in case there will be Con-con. Do it together with the barangay elections. At least the budget’s already there.)

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He said the cost of holding an elections for delegates for Con-con would roughly be the same as that of the barangay elections.

“Whether or not mag-ko-Con-con or hindi, may barangay election naman tayo sa 2017. Kung hindi matuloy ang Con-con, okay lang. Pero kung matuloy, rider na lang,” Nograles said.

(Whether or not there will be Con-con or not, there are still barangay elections in 2017. If  Con-con won’t push through, it’s okay. But if it will, it will just be a rider.)

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Despite talk on a Con-con scenario, President Rodrigo Duterte said he preferred a Constituent Assembly (Con-ass) to amend the Charter to pave the way for a shift to federal from a unitary form of government. JE/rga

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