Brgys sans poll budget share to face raps

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The Comelec will file charges against village officials who fail to allocate the required budget as the barangay's share in the expenses for the Oct. 28 barangay elections.

Negros Occidental provincial elections supervisor Jessie Suarez said Comelec Resolution 9739 requires all local LGUs to allocate not less than P10,000 and not more than 10 percent of the barangay's general funds originally intended for the Sangguniang Kabataan poll.

Failure to comply with this resolution will constitute an election offense, Suarez said, adding that some barangay officials may not have been aware of this rule, which orders LGUs to release the amount to election officers to defray expenses of the board of election tellers.

If there is no budget for a barangay, the LGU shall ask for a supplemental budget from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the said.  (FREEMAN)