Comelec mulls 30-day reset if BSKE freeze halted

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) may reset the supposed 2 November Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) within 30 days if the Supreme Court (SC) orders a halt to the implementation of the law postponing the polls to 2028.

Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia disclosed this in a radio interview on 2 October, after the SC directed the Office of the President, the House of Representatives, the Senate and the poll body to comment on the petition filed by election lawyer Romulo Macalintal seeking to stop Republic Act 12326, which reset the BSKE to 2028.

“Should the Supreme Court issue any order against the law, we have powers that we can invoke,” Garcia said.

He explained that the Comelec could declare a postponement and reset the Nov. 2 BSKE within 30 days.

Only under force majeure

Under Comelec rules, however, Garcia said it may exercise such power only in cases of force majeure, such as storms, earthquakes, violence, and terrorism.

Invoking the power would give the Comelec sufficient time to resume and complete preparations for the elections, he said.

Garcia acknowledged that the poll body has little time to prepare for the BSKE because it had stopped preparations following the enactment of RA 12326.