The Commission on Elections (Comelec) assured on Monday, Oct. 17, that it will always abide by the law and the wisdom of the highest court of the land in relation to the petition to declare unconstitutional Republic Act No. 11935 that mandated the postponement of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
In a statement sent by Comelec Spokesman John Rex Laudiangco, he said that he welcomes the filing of the said petition wherein the Supreme Court (SC) will be once again given the opportunity to enrich jurisprudence and once-and-for-all, settle the lingering question on the powers of the legislative and executive departments of the government in so far as the issue of fixing the terms of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials, and in doing so, the power to postpone and re-schedule the elections for such.
In the said petition filed by election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, the constitutionality of Republic Act No. 11935 or the law postponing December 5, 2022, BSKE is being challenged before the Supreme Court.
He pointed out that while the Constitution gives Congress the power to determine or fix the term of office of barangay officials, “the Constitution does not give Congress the power to postpone the barangay elections nor to extend the term of office of the barangay officials.” On the postponement of elections, Macalintal cited Section 5 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 881, the Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines.
"If and when the time comes that a definite ruling on this issue is handed down by the SC, the COMELEC is ever ready and duty-bound to comply," Laudiangco stated.
He added that Comelec will be ready to conduct the elections in December 2022 pursuant to RA No. 11462 should SC rule against RA No. 11935, or otherwise hold the BSKE in October 2023 pursuant to the latter, "without a single centavo of preparations wasted, true to our word as we endeavor to faithfully fulfill our Constitutional mandate."
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. signed into law Republic Act 11935, entitled "An Act Postponing the December 2022 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections, Amending For The Purpose Republic Act No. 9164, As Amended, Appropriating Funds Therefor, And For Other Purposes."