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Saturday, November 20, 2004
Barangay captains' prexy says only Nene wants polls pushed
By Lizanilla J. Amarga
THE chairman of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) in Cagayan de Oro said Sen. Aquilino Pimentel is the only one who does not want the barangay elections postponed.
ABC chairman Alexander Dacer said Pimentel has been urging the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to lobby with Malacañang and Congress for the allocation of the necessary fund to hold next year's barangay election.
Dacer believes it would be better to hold the barangay elections along with the local elections this 2007 saying it would save the country a lot of funds.
But several barangay residents are clamoring for a change in the leadership in their respective barangays. They believe that there is indeed money for barangay elections next year.
"Naa man gani kwarta nga korakoton kana pa hinoon untang para sa eleksyon wala (If there is money for corruption how much more for next year's barangay elections)," Clarita Macabale said.
Macabale, Susan Labial and Roy Generalao, who all requested that their address be withheld, said they are already "sick and tired" of the "ineptness" of their respective barangay captains and barangay council.
By denying funds for an election next year, these city residents believe is tantamount to also denying their right to suffrage.
Great possibility
Meanwhile, Dacer, the barangay chairman for Puntod, said Friday they recently received reports from their National League of Barangay Captains (NLBC) in Manila regarding the issue.
He recalled how they were told by NLBC that Congress is amenable to postponing the barangay elections scheduled next year.
"There is a great possibility that the barangay elections next year will be postponed kay si Pimentel raman gyud ang gusto nga madayon kini (as it is only Pimentel who wants it to push through)," he told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.
Dacer said it would be better to hold the barangay elections this 2007 together with the provincial, municipal and city elections.
He said the concept of scheduling a separate election for barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections was because the national lawmakers believe that the two elections should remain apolitical.
"But in my experience, the mayors and governors are always meddling with barangay elections so it would be plain hypocrisy to continue believing it is not so and hold a separate election that entails spending more money again," he said in Visayan.
Law and order problems
Earlier, Pimentel said Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos should initiate "instead of feeling helpless over the possible postponement of this political exercise for alleged lack of money."
"Barangay elections must not be postponed on the pretext that there is no money. Of course, there is money for the elections if we look hard enough," he said.
Pimentel cited how under Republic Act 9164, the synchronized barangay and SK elections shall be held on the first Monday of October, 2005.
He said the only recognized reason for postponing an election that is pre-set by law is turmoil or grave law and order problems.
Pimentel who authored Republic Act 7160 or the Local Government Code said the deferment of the elections would result in automatic extension of the term of the barangay officials upon the end of their three-year term.
He said this would deprive the barangay residents of the right and opportunity to yank out incompetent and abusive village officials.
Pimentel believes that the only people who'll be happy if the polls are scrapped are the barangay executives who may be involved in tainted deals and who don't want to account for their actions before their constituents.
(November 20, 2004 issue)
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