Barangay elections postponed

President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law the bill postponing the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections for one year.

The elections were supposed to be held on Oct. 31, 2016, but would now be moved to Oct. 23, 2017, Malacañang said.

Assistant Secretary Ana Marie Banaag of the Presidential Communications Office, quoting Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, said the measure had already been signed.

Incumbent barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials are expected to continue serving in a hold-over capacity.

Medialdea was waiting for the official copy so it could be properly disseminated, Banaag said in a press briefing.

Mr. Duterte has just concluded a three-day state visit to Brunei and proceeded to China for a four-day state visit.

The postponement of the polls is expected to give the President a free hand in filling up vacancies in the government, as it would do away with the 45-day ban on the appointment of officials during an election period.

Earlier, Mr. Duterte said he wanted to postpone the elections because he feared drug money may be used to fund the campaigns of some candidates.

Since coming to power, the President has launched a nationwide campaign against illegal drugs, which has brought a mounting death toll of more than 4,000 persons.

Initially, the President said he did not care about human rights issues and told critics from local and international organizations, to “go to hell.” More recently, in response to warnings from the International Criminal Court that he could be tried for instigating mass murder, he denied that it was state-policy to kill drug suspects.