Parañaque City 2nd district Rep. Gus Tambunting believes that it's not wise to set to July the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) in connection with the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.

In a statement Thursday, March 2 that has been addressed to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Tambunting said, "I believe that this move poses several problems that may compromise the integrity and safety of the electoral process."

He goes on to give three reasons why. "First, the extended campaign/political season will be too long, which may lead to voter fatigue and disinterest," he said.

"While Comelec claims that there will be no campaigning between July to October, the implementation of such a ban is unrealistic given the number of barangays and candidates involved. It will be challenging to enforce this rule, and it may result in candidates trying to find loopholes to circumvent the prohibition," he said.

The veteran solon said the applicability of the Supreme Court (SC) ruling in Penera v. Comelec in relation to barangay elections "is another legal question which might find its way back to the SC given the different interpretations on this matter".

The BSKE is scheduled to take place on Oct. 30, 2023.

"Second, the prolonged political season will pose a threat to the peace and order in barangays. As tensions tend to run high during elections, the longer period of campaigning may result in more heated exchanges and possible violent incidents," Tambunting said.

He claimed that the longer period of political activity can also lead to an increase in the number of election-related offenses, further compromising the safety and security of our communities. Since barangay officials are tasked with ensuring peace and order in our communities, a prolonged election season may compromise this peace, he noted.

"Third, setting the COC filing period too early may provide undue advantage to some candidates, especially those who have access to more resources and have established networks. This will be disadvantageous to other candidates, who may not have the means to prepare their campaigns that early," he further said.

"I call on the Comelec to reconsider this plan and stick to the usual schedule of COC filing for the Barangay and SK elections. I urge the Commission to prioritize the safety and integrity of the electoral process and to consider the welfare of the voters and the candidates," added Tambunting.