A DAY after congressional leaders met with President Benigno Aquino III, the House of Representatives’ committee on suffrage killed all bills seeking the postponement of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls.
Voting 22-15, committee members shelved all the pending bills.
Committee chairman and Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. said holding the elections on Oct. 25, as scheduled, was the Palace’s position.
Committee members were expected to vote on the postponement yesterday, but Minority Leader Edcel Lagman questioned Tuesday’s meeting between some members of the majority party and President Aquino.
“Apparently, the leadership of the committee is prepared to kill these bills. We are virtually having a wake over the bills and we are just preparing the funeral,” Lagman said.
He is one of more than 30 House representatives seeking the postponement of the elections. The others include Reps. Gabriel Luis Quisumbing (Cebu Province, 6th district), Eduardo Gullas (Cebu Province, 1st district) and Rachel del Mar (Cebu City, north).
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) assured preparations are continuing to ensure a successful barangay and SK elections in October.
“With the House shelving the proposals to postpone the elections, we will now go into high gear in our preparations to ensure a honest, orderly, peaceful and successful elections,” Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal told Sun.Star Manila in a text message. (Sunnex)