City Comelec awaits advice on brgy, SK polls
ROXAS CITY – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) here said yesterday that their central office has not yet sent any go signal in connection with the holding of barangay election on October this year.
City Comelec officer Atty. Jomar Betita told The News Today (TNT) in a phone interview that he has not yet received any advise from the central office whether or not the barangay election in October will push through.
According to him, the central office has also not sent any advise when the Comelec is going to start registration for the new voters.
Earlier, Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas (LNP)-Roxas City chapter pushed for the deferment of barangay election and urged the congressmen to enact a law for the postponement of the October 2010 barangay elections and move it to October 2012.
The three-page sentiment was signed by officers of the city liga led by its chapter president Wilson Acervo.
In its whereases, it stated that Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as “The Local Government Code of the Philippines” provides that the term of office of all local chief executive officials elected after the effectivity of this Code shall be three years, starting from noon of June 30, 1992 or such date as may be provided for by law, except that of the elective barangay officials.”
They said that this coming election is too close to the recently concluded first automated national and local election in the sense that candidates, their relatives, friends, and supporters, most especially the people in the barangay, have not yet recovered from the effects of the adversarial electoral process, election-related activities, and expenditures that have adverse social impact in the community.
According to their sentiment, the barangays have two elections which are Liga ng mga Barangay on the municipal and city levels usually held in November and the election of officers on the provincial level usually held in December.
It also said that barangay officials, from the time they are elected or appointed, are required to attend seminars and trainings, either voluntarily or as required by the national government through DILG and DBM.
“The barangay is the only local government unit that performs the three functions of government, i.e., executive, legislative and judicial, which are being performed on the grassroots level, hence, the current integration of the incumbent barangay officials would be untimely severed if elections were to be held in October this year,” the city liga said.
They also said that the funds earmarked during the election could be used for continuing projects in the barangays.
It was learned that the sentiment was circulated by Lawaan Brgy. Captain Randee Albar who attended the Liga congress in Manila.
