MANILA – An election lawyer has asked the Supreme Court (SC) to direct the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to resume preparation for the conduct of Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) next year.
According to lawyer Romulo Macalintal, he filed a four-page Extreme Urgent Motion Reiterating the Issuance of a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) and/or Status Quo Ante Order (SQAO) on Monday.
“I filed today (Nov. 14) at the Supreme Court a motion to issue TRO in the petition I filed questioning the postponement of the December 5 (2022) BSKE,” he said in a statement.
“Highlighted is a portion of the Memorandum of the Solicitor General, lawyer of Comelec and government, where he admitted the urgency "to remove what had so far become the practice of postponing barangay elections and, in the process extending the term of barangay officials thru piecemeal election postponement legislations which pose an even greater threat to democracy at the grassroots; and that even bill sponsor Senator Imee Marcos agreed it was indeed abused,” the poll lawyer said.
He also noted the statement of the poll body that it is ready to conduct the polls in May next year, in the event the High Court issues a decision declaring the law postponing the December 2022 Barangay and Sanggunian Kabataan elections unconstitutional.
“Also highlighted is Comelec's statement that it could hold the barangay elections in May 2023 if SC rules that the law postponing it is unconstitutional,” Macalintal said.
“Thus, I asked SC that pending resolution of my petition, the Comelec be directed to resume its timeline of activities and its preparation to hold the elections in May 2023,” he added,
Republic Act No. 11935 was signed last Oct. 10, postponing the Dec. 5, 2022 BSKE to the last Monday of October 2023. (PNA)
