Liga ng mga Barangay chief supports postponement of barangay, SK polls 

The national president of the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas (LnB) on Monday expressed support to the proposal to postpone the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections to May 2018.

In a press conference at the House of Representatives, LnB president Edmund Abesamis said he welcomes the moves to postpone the barangay elections from the earlier schedule of October this year.

"Natutuwa, yes. Hindi kami nalulungkot because based on consultations, because I go around the country for consultations, at ang naging consensus din ay we have to postpone the barangay elections," he said.

In an all-member caucus last week, the House of Representatives decided to postpone the barangay and SK elections to May next year, with incumbent officials on hold-over instead of being replaced by appointive officers-in-charge.

President Rodrigo Duterte had pushed for the appointment of OICs in barangay posts, as he alleged that 40 percent of barangay captains nationwide are involved in illegal drugs.

Abesamis said that while they have no means to verify the data from the President, barangay officials still have their own ways to address the illegal drug problem in their respective jurisdictions.

"May kanya-kanya naman po kaming ginawa na in our respective jurisdiction. 'Yung sa akin sa Nueva Ecija, may USAD or United Stand Against Illegal Drugs," he said.

"Nagkakaroon ng campaign sa kanya-kanyang barangay. We ask our punong barangays na makipagtulungan kami sa national barangay," Abesamis
added.

Abesamis also said that there is a "valid concern" that drug syndicates and personalities will use drug money to influence the elections.

"Nakita naman po natin na P6.4 billion na pumasok. At base doon sa ating investigations sa Congress, parang na-bungle yung operations at possible na may nakalusot," he said, referring to the recent controversy involving the Bureau of Customs.

"Hindi po imaginary yung problema, this is real. Kaya ang postponement ng barangay elections, sa palagay namin, ay mas makakatulong," he added.

The House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms will hold its first meeting on Monday to discuss the proposed postponement of the barangay and SK elections. —KBK, GMA News