PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has already signed into law a bill postponing the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections that were originally scheduled for the end of the month.
In a press briefing, Presidential Communications Operations (PCO) Assistant Secretary for Operations and Special Concerns Ana Marie Banaag said Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea informed her about the signing of the bill.
“According to Executive Secretary Medialdea, it was already signed by the President but we just have to wait for the aircraft that will bring home the signed law before the proper transmittal to the proper office,” said Assistant Communications Secretary Ana Marie Banaag.
Duterte left on Sunday for a two-day state visit to Brunei. From Brunei, the President was to fly to Beijing Tuesday afternoon for a four-day state visit in China.
Banaag said it was not clear whether Duterte signed the law in Davao or in Brunei but the Executive Secretary is waiting the arrival of the document for its transmittal through the proper channels.
A month ago, the Senate and the House of Representatives approved respective bills – SB No. 1112 and HB No. 3504 calling for the postponement of the barangay and SK elections from Oct. 31 this year to Oct. 23 next year.
Duterte had already announced his feat that the barangay elections may be used by drug lords to campaign for protectors among barangay officials. Duterte said there are about 5,000 barangay captains included on his new drug list.
Meanwhile the Commission on Elections welcomed the postponement of the elections with Chairman Andres Bautista saying the poll body would no longer entertain any protest regarding the postponement of the village and SK polls.
For his part, Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the 411,000 official ballots that have already been printed “are being preserved and can still be used for the next elections” after minor amendments.
“We just need to amend the dates imprinted on the ballots. It’s not going to be a waste,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting also welcomed the postponement of elections, adding that both the Comelec and the PPCRV need a breather from too many elections in a year.
“October 2017 would be good, two years before the midterm 2019 elections,” PPCRV national chair Henrietta de Villa said.