House moves to further postpone barangay elections to 2020

Surigao del Norte Rep. Ace Barbers filed House Bill 5359 on March 22. The measure proposes to defer the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections to 2020.

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 28) — Members of the House of Representatives are taking steps to postpone barangay elections anew in a bid to curb the use of illegal drug money in the polls.

Surigao del Norte Representative Ace Barbers said in a statement on Monday that House Bill 5359, "An Act Postponing the October 2017 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections," proposed that the elections be held on May 2020 instead.

"There is a need to postpone the 2017 barangay elections to rid barangays of officials linked to illegal drug operations," Barbers said of the bill, which he filed on March 22.

"The barangay election was postponed last year for the very same reason, and obviously, we have yet to consider our communities drug-free. The drug problem begins at the grassroots level, therefore, this is where we should start cleansing," he added.

Early into his administration, President Rodrigo Duterte signed a law that moved the barangay elections from Oct. 31, 2016 to Oct. 23, 2017, saying that "drug money will seep into the electoral protest."

Duterte's administration launched a war against illegal drugs on July 1, 2016. He has claimed that 40 percent of the 42,036 barangay captains nationwide were involved in the drug trade.

Barbers' measure comes as House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez dismissed concerns that there would not be enough time for the lower house to pass a law postponing the barangay elections and allowing Duterte to fill in the vacancies.

"Hindi po lalo na kapag na-certify as urgent ng ating Pangulo [No, especially if our President certifies it as urgent.]," Alvarez said in a radio interview.

Alvarez added that even while Congress is in recess, he has already directed his staff to prepare a draft bill so that it could be immediately filed in the House of Representatives once the sessions resume.

Alvarez said he believes the "supermajority" coalition in the House will support Duterte's proposal, saying that he has not received so far any opposition from any member of the majority.

To ensure faster deliberation and approval of the proposal, Alvarez also said he intends to talk to Department of Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno and Senate President Koko Pimentel.