Duterte backs postponement of barangay, SK elections

President Rodrigo Duterte answers questions from reporters during his visit to the wake of Senior Insp. Mark Gil Garcia at the Rizal Provincial Police Office in Taytay, Rizal, on Aug. 24. GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE/INQUIRER

President Rodrigo Duterte is backing the proposed postponement of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections in October.

Speaking at the 10th anniversary of the Eastern Mindanao Command in Davao City, Duterte said the election might be infiltrated with drug money if it pushes through.

“Do you know the reason why I also agreed with some congressmen to postpone the barangay elections? Do you know why? Because I am afraid that the drug money will seep into the electoral process,” he said in his speech.

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has said that the SK polls have to be deferred to allow Duterte to fill up vacancies in the government under his administration.

According to the Omnibus Election Code, an appointing authority is prohibited from appointing new employees, creating new positions, promoting employees, and giving salary increases at least 45 days before a regular election and 30 days before a special election.

Other allies of Duterte have also favored the plans to postpone the elections to 2017.