Comelec suspends barangay polls in quake-hit Bohol

Published October 21, 2013 11:47am

(Updated 2:01 p.m.) The Commission on Elections on Monday decided to postpone the barangay elections in Bohol, the hardest-hit province in last week's magnitude-7.2 quake in Central Visayas, a television report said.

The barangay elections is scheduled next week, Oct. 28.

In a tweet on Monday, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez confirmed the postponement of barangay elections in the entire province of Bohol.

#BarangayElections2013 suspended for the entire province of Bohol. #FYI
— James Jimenez (@jabjimenez) October 21, 2013

As of early this morning, the death toll from the quake has climbed to 186.

A Balitanghali report on GMA quoted chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. as saying they would schedule the special elections for Bohol no later than one month after October 28.

Brillantes earlier said any special elections would be held before November 30, when the terms of barangay officials would expire, to prevent any holdover of office.

Brillantes refused to give more details, noting that they would release a resolution on the postponement Tuesday, according to the report.

The Comelec has also postponed the elections in Zamboanga City due to the standoff between state troops and Moro National Liberation Front rebels.

Meanwhile, barangay elections will push through as scheduled in the rest of the country on Monday, October 28. — with Kimberly Jane Tan and Marc Jayson Cayabyab/RSJ/KG, GMA News

Tags: visayasearthquake, comelec, sixtobrillantesjr, bohol, barangayelections