Abella: Gov’t always ready for polls sans Congress decision

Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella (Malacañang file photo by ROBINSON NIÑAL JR.)

The government will always prepare for the barangay elections whether Congress decides to postpone it or not, a Palace spokesperson said Saturday.

“While we adhere to the President’s position of postponement of barangay and SK elections, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), like the Commission on Elections (Comelec), has always been prepared if in case the barangay elections will push through,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.

The House of Representatives on Thursday approved on second reading the postponement of the October 23, 2017 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections and rescheduling it to May 2018.

READ: Bill postponing barangay polls gets 2nd reading approval

Congress last year approved a similar bill postponing the 2016 barangay and SK elections to October 23 this year, with the officials retaining a hold-over position.

The House all-party caucus agreed to defer it again to May 2018 to synchronize the barangay elections with the plebiscite for Charter change and the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, which are the Duterte administration’s two key legislations.

The lawmakers who expressed support in the proposal echoed President Rodrigo Duterte’s call to defer the polls to weed out various villages of barangay officials involved in illegal drugs. JPV