By Catherine S Valente & Johanna M Sampan /Manila Times
President Benigno Aquino yesterday rejected the proposal of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr to postpone the barangay (village) elections scheduled in October this year.
Brillantes on Monday said he would prefer if the barangay polls will be reset to October 2014 or January 2015.
But President Aquino said he would only allow the postponement of the October polls if the Comelec can present a good justification.
“On the postponement, I’m nervous of that...we have to secure the mandate of the people periodically,” he said
“So, unless I see very good reasons for a postponement, I think I’ll stick with my stand that they should hold it as scheduled,” he added
Brillantes yesterday clarified that he is not insisting on the postponement of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls.
“It is really up to the legislators and the president because all acts will have to be signed by the president anyway,” he said.
He explained that his suggestion was merely an opinion.
“What I was saying is that it would be better to postpone because we have so many things to attend to . . . but if not, we will be doing it since that is in the law,” he told reporters.
Brillantes added that the Comelec is prepared to hold barangay and youth elections because it will be held manually.
Republic Act 9340 provides that synchronised Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (Youth Council) elections “shall be held on the last Monday of October 2007 and every three years, thereafter”.