Tuesday, August 8, 2017
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Majority of the members of the House of Representatives agreed in a caucus yesterday afternoon to postpone the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections set in October this year to May 2018, two Negros solons said.

They also agreed that the incumbent barangay officials elected in October 2013 will be retained in a holdover capacity, Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (Neg. Occ., 3 rd District) and Rep. Stephen Paduano (Abang Lingkod Partylist) said.

The SK and barangay elections next year will be synchronized with the plebiscite for Charter change and the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, Majority Floor Leader Rodolfo Fariñas said.

More than 200 congressmen attended the caucus to decide on the barangay elections, Paduano said.

However, the Senate has yet to decide on the postponement of the barangay elections, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri said yesterday.

The Lower House bill postponing the barangay and SK polls will have to be reconciled with the Senate's before the final version is submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte who could sign it into law or veto it, Zubiri said.

Gov. Alfredo Marañon and the majority of local officials in Negros Occidental favor the postponement of the barangay elections and the retention of the incumbent officials in a holdover capacity.

Negros Occidental Comelec Supervisor Jessie Suarez said they will continue preparing for the barangay elections until they get a final order from their head office to halt their activities.*CPG