In Bohol: Postponement of brgy polls pushed

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines — The Provincial Board, chaired by Vice Gov. Concepcion Lim, on Friday approved a resolution requesting the Comelec to defer the Oct. 28 barangay election to a later date, according to PB Member Cesar Tomas Lopez.

The resolution was endorsed by Gov. Edgar Chatto and Reps. Aris Aumentado (2nd district, Bohol) and Arthur Yap (3rd dist.), considering that a lot of would-be candidates failed to file their certificates of candidacy due to the earthquake.

Aumentado and Yap said it would be noteworthy to postpone the election to a later date considering the dire need of the Boholanos to rebuild from the ruins of the earthquake.

Representative Rene Relampagos (1st dist.) raised this concern in a meeting with President Benigno Aquino III and Chatto last Wednesday during the president's visit in the province. The president however told them that it will be up to the Comelec to look into this proposal.

Senator Nancy Binay, who was with her father Vice-President Jejomar Binay on Thursday to inspect Bohol's situation, said in an exclusive interview with The Freeman that it would be proper to postpone the brgy. polls in Bohol, which has a total of 1,109 barangays.

Representative Sherwin Gatchalian (Valenzuela City), who also accompanied the Binay group, also favored the postponement of the elections in Bohol because it is still reeling from the devastation of the magnitude 7.1 earthquake.

A former town mayor further told The Freeman that a lot of municipal officials were also agreeable to the proposal of deferring the barangay polls, saying that it will be more beneficial for candidates if the Comelec decides to oblige with it.

The postponement will also bar the incumbents to take advantage of the calamity fund, especially those belonging to the ruling Liberal Party, which they might use to draw voters to make their bets win at all cost. (FREEMAN)