The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday suspended the scheduled elections of district representatives for South Cotabato and Southern Leyte to be held on Saturday, 26 October.

“All activities including bidding and procurements and implementation of all Comelec (Commission on Elections) resolutions relative to the October 26, 2019 elections have been suspended,” the poll body announced

Pursuant to Resolution No. 10612, the Comelec has resolved to suspend the elections for representatives of the first and third (Lone) legislative districts of South Cotabato.

This, according to Comelec, is in view of the Resolution of the Supreme Court (SC) directing the poll body to proclaim Shirlyn L. Banas-Nograles as representative for the First Legislative District of South Cotabato, including General Santos City.

In G.R. No. 246328 (Banas-Nograles case), the SC likewise declares null and void Comelec Resolution No. 10524 and orders the convening of a Special Provincial Board of Canvassers to proclaim the winning candidate.

Resolution No. 10524, which was promulgated on 11 April 2019, provides for the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act No. 11243 which directs the reapportioning of the First Legislative District of South Cotabato, thereby creating the Lone Legislative District of General Santos City.

The Commission has further resolved, under Resolution No. 10612, to suspend the elections for representatives for the First and Second Legislative Districts of Southern Leyte, Cotabato, in view of the possibility that the Resolution of the SC in the Banas-Nograles case will be applied in G.R. No. 246132 (Mercado case), as both cases are similarly situated.

In case no decision from the SC is forthcoming, Comelec stressed that the Southern Leyte elections shall push through on 30 November 2019.

The initiative is to avoid any prolonged vacuum in the Office of Representatives for the first and second districts, Comelec said.