Atty. Romulo Macalintal — File photo
MANILA, Philippines — Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal has committed to challenge what he described as an “attempt” to delay Filipinos’ right to suffrage as he criticized recent proposals to extend the terms of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (BSK) officials, which would effectively postpone the elections scheduled this year.
This came after Senator Francis Escudero filed a bill seeking to extend the terms of BSK officials to five years. If enacted, the measure would move the scheduled November 2, 2026, elections to November 2028, and every five years thereafter.
Rep. Javier Miguel Benitez and 63 other lawmakers also filed House Bill No. 10591, which seeks to postpone the November 2026 elections to the last Monday of November 2028. The proponents cited the Middle East crisis, inflation, and logistical disruptions that threaten the conduct of safe elections.
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“This continuous cycle of delaying local elections is a blatant violation of our constitutional right of suffrage, engineered by politicians who want to choose our leaders for us rather than letting the people decide,” Macalintal said in a statement on Monday.
Macalintal also hit the proposal to postpone the elections as he noted that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) already spent P8 billion out of its P19 billion budget for the said elections. He said that it’s as if the funds are being thrown away already for the proposal.
The lawyer then pointed out that the postponement of the elections under the guise of fixing the officials’ terms violates the Constitution, noting that those elected in October 2023 must get a fresh mandate in November 2026.
“We will surely challenge, again and again, any immoral and unlawful attempt to trample upon our people’s right of suffrage. This regular, periodic election is being delayed under a flimsy disguise—falsely labeled as merely “fixing the term of office,” even though they just recently set the term,” he expressed.
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“What is the difference between “fixing” and “setting” a term, if not a clear attempt to fool a public they think is gullible? Para sa ating mga mambabatas na susuporta sa panukalang ito, hindi po kami tanga,” he added.
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(What is the difference between “fixing” and “setting” a term, if not a clear attempt to fool a public they think is gullible? To our lawmakers that will support these, we are not stupid.)
He also said that the proposal that will postpone the elections fails to comply with the Supreme Court’s (SC) guidelines under Macalintal vs. Comelec, where “a valid postponement requires absolute necessity or a legitimate government interest, neither of which exists here.”
Macalintal was one of the petitioners in the consolidated petitions earlier granted by the SC that declared the postponement of the 2022 BSKE as “unconstitutional.” /jpv
