It is again likely that the coming barangay elections on October 29, 2007 may be reset after some congressmen including Speaker Jose de Venecia voiced out preference for the electoral exercise to be postponed.
They said holding the barangay elections could worsen the expected budgetary deficit of the national government because of the expenses barangay elections would entail considering the already huge expenses during the elections last May.
However, even if the House of Representatives should vote to reset the elections the Senate may oppose the move.
Senators, especially those in the opposition, are wary that Speaker de Venecia may revive the people’s initiative to amend the Constitution to pave the way to the shift to the parliamentary form of government. Such move will require a referendum which Speaker de Venecia may set to coincide with the barangay elections once the October 29 schedule as fixed by law is reset.
Most senators also believe that it is an unsound practice to postpone a scheduled election because officials involved serve beyond the mandate of the people. Besides, election expenses had long been anticipated and unless there is an ulterior motive there is no justification to postpone the barangay election, it was also emphasized.If postponed, Speaker de Venecia proposes that barangay officials be just appointed either by city or town mayors or by the DILG.
If appointment would be made by the DILG it would set the stage for the people’s initiative, critics of the postponement plan averred.
