CITIZENS Battle Against Corruption Rep. Sherwin Tugna, House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms chairman, said on Sunday they are set to approve today a consolidated measure to postpone and reset the Oct. 23 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls to May next year.
“The measure will be approved after a thorough deliberation Monday,” he told a dzBB radio interview.
“[Still] we will give the other stakeholders an opportunity to be heard.”
As far as Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers is concerned, Congress has still ample time to pass the consolidated measure.
“We still have enough time to postpone the barangay and SK polls. We hope Malacañang will certify the bill as urgent to make this possible,” he said.
Apart from Barbers’ proposed measure, HB Nos. 5361 and 5380 filed by Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco and ANAC-IP Rep. Jose Panganiban Jr., respectively, are also being deliberated by Tugna’s panel.
In another development, Tugna said the committee on suffrage and electoral reforms cannot prevent any lawmaker from questioning the marital woes involving Commission on Elections Chairman Jose Andres Bautista and his estranged wife, Patricia Paz, and the chairman’s supposed ill-gotten wealth.
“I believe some members of Congress will ask on that [personal] issue,” he said.
He said Bautista must be prepared to answer the issues.