Cebu village officials uncertain on polls’ fate

SONA 2017
President Rodrigo Duterte gestures during his second State of the Nation Address at the House of Representatives in Quezon city.
INQUIRER PHOTO/ JOAN BONDOC

Cebu City barangay officials will be ready whether or not barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections will be held on Oct. 23, this year.

“Whether or not it was mentioned in the President’s State of the Nation Address (Sona), the fact remains that the election is scheduled on Oct. 23 this year. We are ready for the elections,” said Councilor Philip Zafra, who represents the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) in the City Council.

President Duterte wanted to postpone the elections after saying that a large number of barangay officials are allegedly involved in illegal drugs.

“All of us elected barangay officials are ready for the election whether this year, next year or any year. (We are) ready to run and seek reelection,” Zafra said.

Cebu City Councilor Sisinio Andales said without any pronouncement from President regarding the elections, it should mean that it will push through.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he will support the Commission on Elections (Comelec) if there is still no law passed by Congress postponing the elections.

A P10-million allocation was included in Cebu City Hall’s P716.5 million Supplemental Budget as election reserve.

For their part, the National Youth Commission (NYC) remains confident that the SK elections will push through.

In a visit in Cebu two months ago, NYC commissioner for Visayas Rhea Peñaflor said they were lobbying for support from lawmakers to allow the elections to be held this Oct. 23.

At the Capitol, Provincial Board (PB) Member Celestino “Tining” Martinez said President Duterte is determined to cancel the elections even if he didn’t mention it in his address.

“As far as Mr. Duterte is concerned, he has every intention to postpone the barangay elections this year. So I already expected that he will not mention it in his Sona,” said Martinez, who is also concurrent ABC president for the province.

But Martinez said the final fate of the barangay elections is up to Congress.

Martinez opposed the postponement of this year’s barangay elections, saying the number of barangay officials arrested for drugs didn’t justify its cancellation.

Senate Bill 1465 was filed last March which seeks to move scheduled barangay and SK Elections to October 4, 2018.

The Comelec asked Congress to decide on the elections by the end of this month.