IMINUNGKAHI ni Senator Francis Tolentino na ipagpaliban muna ang Barangay at SK Elections (BSKE) sa Negros Oriental na nakatakdang gawin sa Oktubre.
Punto ng senador, baka magdulot ng karagdagang karahasan sa lalawigan kung matutuloy ang halalan doon.
Tugon naman ni Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Chairman George Erwin Garcia, kailangan pang pag-aralang mabuti ang mungkahi ni Tolentino kahit pa may kapangyarihan ang COMELEC sa pag-postpone ng eleksiyon.
Sa ilalim ng Section 05 ng Omnibus Election Code, pinapayagan ang COMELEC na mag-postpone ng halalan kung may seryosong dahilan tulad ng karahasan o terorismo.
“It should be seriously and carefully studied by the Commission. Although admittedly, we have the power to postpone the election in an area, however, there are stringent reqts of the law. Aside therefrom, such a postponement is only up to 30 days,” ani George Erwin Garcia, COMELEC.
Ayon naman kay COMELEC spokesperson Atty. Rex Laudiangco, maaring i-amend ng mga mambabatas ang RA 11935 para ma-exempt ang Negros Oriental sa BSKE.
“We believe po two-pronged ang recommendation po ni Hon. Tolentino: the first is a call to his colleagues in both Houses of Congress for legislation amending RA11935 in so far as the elections on the subject province being excepted from the nationwide synchronized Barangay and SK Elections,” ayon kay Atty. Rex Laudiangco, Spokesperson, COMELEC.
“In this case, as stated by Chairman Garcia po, if there will be a law amending RA 11935 (if any) for these purposes, the COMELEC will comply and implement the same,” aniya.
Sa Senate hearing nabunyag na 43 elected officials ang napatay sa Negros Oriental simula 2016.
Mula 2018, umabot na umano sa mahigit 500 murder incidents sa lalawigan.
