By Argyll Cyrus B. Geducos
With the assurance of the Senate, Malacañang is certain that the long overdue barangay elections will finally happen in May.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque made the statement after Sen. Frankin M. Drilon bared alleged moves that administration lawmakers are off to railroad Charter change by postponing the barangay elections and hold it simultaneously with the plebiscite on proposed amendments.
According to Drilon, lawmakers who are already on their third term in office would benefit if the mid-term elections would also be cancelled. He added that administration lawmakers are also aware that proposed amendments to the 1987 Constitution would not be ready for plebiscite by May.
Roque said Senate President Koko Pimentel has revealed that the Senate is not supporting any move postponing the barangay elections for the third time since President Duterte assumed office.
“I was in a one forum together with Senate President Pimentel and he declared an audience of about 4,000 members of the Liga ng Barangay ng Leyte that the barangay elections will push through,” Roque said.
“While there is a pending bill in the House filed by Rep. Johnny Pimentel to suspend anew the barangay elections, Sen. Pimentel declared before the audience of 4,000 that there was no support in the Senate for another postponement of the barangay elections,” he added.
Roque said he found it weird that these allegations are coming from Drilon who is known to be affiliated with the Liberal Party. “I’m just surprised that this is coming from a minority senator. Normally, it’s the minority senator that will insist that elections will push through,” he said.
