Garcia hopes SC will resolve petition vs. BSKE postponement immediately

Commission on Elections chief George Garcia on Tuesday expressed hope that the petition challenging the law postponing the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) will be resolved immediately.

The petition was filed by veteran election lawyer Romulo Macalintal on Monday.

“Hopefully, the Supreme Court will be able today to solve the matter,” Garcia said in an interview on CNN.

According to Garcia, the Comelec postponed some of the preparations for the BSKE when the law was signed, such as the printing of the ballots.

“Gusto rin naman natin ma-preserve ‘yung quality ng balota. At the same time, we would like to change also the template of the ballot,” he said.

[We want to preserve the quality of the ballots. At the same time, we would like to change also the template of the ballot.]

Meanwhile, when asked for his reaction to the petition, Garcia said this was a “welcome development.”

“I have said that it’s not completely— the president will just sign the bill into law. Definitely a citizen or a private group… will question the legality and constitutionality of this law,” he said.

“Perhaps this is high time with the High Court really to settle once and for all whether with the power of Congress to extend the term of office and barangay and SK officials carries with it the power to likewise postpone an election,” he added.

Garcia also said that if he was still a practicing lawyer, he would hold the same position as Macalintal.

“Of course, we were both practitioners before. I used to be a practitioner. I will have the same position as that of Atty. Macalintal if I’m still a practitioner,” he said.

“But, of course, at present being a chairman of Comelec, we really recognize the power of Congress... as it stands now because there is now a law… kinikilala pa rin po namin ang kapangyarihan ng Kongreso. And that power remains until the Supreme Court says otherwise,” he added.

Republic Act 11935 postpones the BSKE from December 2022 to October 2023. — Joahna Lei Casilao/RSJ, GMA News