THE Commission on Elections has put off all preparations for the synchronized Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, which initially were reset to Oct. 23 this year, as it’s still waiting for President Rodrigo Duterte to sign the bill postponing the synchronized elections to May 2018.
The Comelec said both the House and the Senate had agreed on the same version of the bill postponing the elections next year, and would allow the incumbent officials to remain in their posts in a holdover capacity until their successors had been elected.
The Barangay and SK elections were originally scheduled for Oct. 23 this year but Duterte wanted them postponed because a number of barangay officials were suspected of being linked to the illegal drug trade.
Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista said the printed election ballots would not be wasted as those could still be used in the next elections by covering the old date with stickers or by using correction fluid.
He said the Comelec could also pass a resolution saying it was allowing the use of the ballots with the 2017 date.