Comelec awaits Marcos action on BSKE delay

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) expressed hope that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will decide by September 26 whether he will sign the bill postponing the November 2 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).

“Atin pong pinakiusap 26 man lang ng September ay malaman natin kung tuloy o hindi,” said Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said in a radio interview.

(We appealed that we know by September 26 whether the bill will be signed into law or not.)

“‘Yung atin pong kasamahan ay ating pinapasok by tomorrow upang kung ano man makapag-isyu kami ng mga resolusyon patungkol sa next week,” he disclosed.

(We already asked our officials and personnel to go to work on Saturday for the possibility of issuing resolutions for next week.)

The bill proposes extending the terms of barangay and SK officials from four to five years, which would result in resetting this year’s polls to 2028.

“Ang panukalang batas ngayon ay naitaas na sa atin pong Palasyo ng Malakanyang at ‘yan po ay nasa kamay na ng ating Pangulo kung siya ay iveveto o kung ito po ay lalagdaan niya,” said Garcia.

(The proposed law is already with Malacanang and it’s up to the President whether to veto or sign it.)

“‘Yan po ay ating aabangan,” added the Comelec chief.

(We are waiting for that.)

Garcia said the Comelec has already scheduled the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) for the BSKE from September 28 to October 5.

However, the chairman said the Comelec has yet to set a schedule for the BSKE campaign period because of the possible signing of the bill.

“‘Yun po kasing posibilidad na baka po mag-adjust ng filing ng candidacy ay nandoon din kaya ayaw po natin banggitin ang eksaktong date ng mga ‘yan,” he said.

(There is a possibility that we might adjust the filing of the COC and, because of this, we have yet to announce the campaign period.)

Garcia pointed out, “depende sa mangyayaring mga development itong darating na araw.”

(These will depend on what will happen in the succeeding days.)

Several groups have already opposed the BSKE postponement, including election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, who has written to the President asking him to veto the bill.

Should the bill be signed into law, Garcia expects petitions to be filed before the Supreme Court (SC), which will be asked to stop the BSKE postponement.

The chairman said there’s a possibility that the SC will issue a restraining order that would temporarily stop the implementation of the law while a ruling is pending.

“So medyo mag-aadjust po kami sa mga bagay na ‘yan. ‘Yan po ang pinaghahandaan namin,” he said.

(So we have to adjust when it happens. We are preparing for that.)