Group asks Comelec to act on petition to postpone Eleksyon 2022

A group has asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to act on its petition to postpone the conduct of the May 9, 2022 elections as it would endanger the lives of voters amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Coalition for Life and Democracy on Tuesday filed an urgent motion to set hearing and manifestation in connection with the December 10, 2021 petition it filed before the Comelec seeking to move the 2022 elections to May 9, 2025.

"Unless the elections is suspended or postponed, the exposure of people to death and health hazard will continue and intensify, a situation that is most unfair and suicidal on the part of all electors," the group's petition read.

"Worst, many would be disenfranchised as people would, for fear of losing their lives, avoid going to polling precincts to cast their votes," it added.

The group also cited the unresolved petitions for disqualification of those who filed certificate of candidacy for the 2022 polls, as well as party-list groups that contested Comelec decisions denying their bid to be accredited as legitimate party-list groups before the Supreme Court.

"The need to defer printing and holding of elections appears warranted, highly necessary, legitimate, prudent and proper," the petition said.

"With the obtaining circumstances, the holding of a clean, free, orderly and honest elections appears highly difficult, if not impossible."

Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez earlier said the group's petition is unlikely to prosper because postponing elections is against the Philippine Constitution.

Jimenez said there is no provision in the Constitution that states elected officials can hold on to their posts in case a national election is postponed.

“The Constitution is very specific about when elections are to be held and there is no holdover provision in the Constitution or anywhere for the positions that is up for election in the coming polls,” he said. —KBK, GMA News