THE Senate approved on second reading Tuesday night the bill seeking a one-year postponement of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
Senate Bill 1112 aims to move the twin elections, originally scheduled on Oct 31, to the fourth Monday of October or October 23 next year, in consonance with the proposal of the House of Representatives which has also passed its version.
The salient amendments to the bill include a provision that states subsequent synchronized barangay and SK elections will be held on the second Monday of 2020 and every three years thereafter, since voter turnout is higher when elections are held during summer.
In his sponsorship speech, Senator Sonny Angara, chairman of the local government committee, said the postponement will allow more time for the full implementation of the recently enacted SK Reform Act (RA 10742), and for the Commission on Elections to assure higher voter turnout.
The bill provides that due to the postponement, the term of incumbent barangay officials will be extended for a year unless they are removed or suspended from office.
“There must be safeguards that while incumbent barangay officials will remain in office, the postponement will not hinder the removal or suspension of officials facing charges especially those involved in drug cases,” Angara said.
Under the measure, the construction or maintenance of barangay-funded roads and bridges, and the appointment or hiring of new employees, creation of new position, promotion, or giving of salary increases, remuneration or privileges in the barangay will be prohibited for 10 days immediately preceding the election.
The Duterte administration has pointed out that pushing through with the barangay and SK polls this year could break the momentum of the war against drugs, criminality and corruption due to the temporary ban and restrictions in government projects, processes and appointments.
SB 1112 also mandates the Sangguniang Barangay to use the SK Fund, equivalent to 10 percent of the barangay’s general fund as provided under the SK Reform Act, only for youth development and empowerment programs until the new SK officials have been elected.
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto said it would be up to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and other agencies to “legally prevent” barangay officials who coddle or are in cahoots with drug lords from enjoying a one-year extension in office.
“Those who are not only barangay chairmen, but at the same time are drug captains in their barangays, must not have a free pass for another year,” Recto said.
But any move to charge barangay leaders for their crimes should be done in a “legal, constitutional, and proper way,” he added.
“It must be based on solid, verified evidence, supported by affidavits of witnesses, the side of those charged be heard, and the proper case filed,” Recto said.
Recto said the postponement of the October barangay polls would “rob barangay residents of the chance to boot out barangay officials who moonlight as drug traders or whose feeble leadership allowed the proliferation of narcotics in their areas.
Recto said 13,661 out of 42,036 barangays in the country have been tagged by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) as drug-affected.
In Metro Manila, the prevalence is higher, with 92 percent of 1,706 barangays penetrated by drug lords, according to PDEA.
“Thus, many are saying that the high rate of drug infiltration in our barangays is the argument for–and not against–the scheduled holding of elections next month,” Recto said.
“But instead of being served end of contracts, what they will get is the gift of term extension That’s the predicament of the people on the ground. With elections postponed, how can the terms of unpopular, non-performing barangay leaders be cut short? That is where government should come in,” Recto said.