Alvarez backs Duterte to scrap barangay polls in October

March 24, 2017

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez backed the stand of President Rodrigo Duterte on the need to postpone the elections of barangay officials in October this year, a statement from the House of Representatives said Friday.

Duterte warned if the October barangay elections would push through many village officials with ties to drug trade would likely be re-elected. Instead, the president said, he wants the polls postponed and fill the vacant positions by appointment.

“I have no problem with that and I support the president because there is a valid reason. It is true that majority of barangay officials are involved in illegal drugs,” said Alvarez in a radio interview.

Alvarez believes the wish of the president can be implemented through amending the Local Government Code and would not violate the Constitution.

“Legislation is needed so the Commission on Elections will have the power to postpone the barangay elections,” Alvarez said.

According to Alvarez, the necessary amendment can be proposed and tackled when Congress resumes session this coming May 2.

Duterte had admitted his plan to appoint barangay officials to fill the vacant posts would be “quite messy” because incumbent barangay officials would likely oppose the move.

According to the president, the first requirement for a barangay officer-in-charge nominee is that they should not have any connections at all with rebels. Second, is that they are not into drugs, and lastly, they are not really leaders of politicians.

The president said he would accept nominations from the Catholic Church, from Islam leaders, religious denominations and other organizations. DMS