Barangay, SK polls formal period to begin in July

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

The 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on October 30, 2023, is all set to formally start in July, according to a local election official.

COMELEC Iloilo City Election Assistant II Jonathan Sayno told Daily Guardian on Air Friday that the calendar of activities for the 2023 BSKE has been detailed in the COMELEC En Banc’s Resolution No. 10899, issued last February 22.

Based on the said resolution, the election period proper will start on July 3 and will end on November 14, 2023.

The following activities will form part of the official election activities:

–          Filing of certificates for candidacy (COC) (July 3 to July 7);

–          Campaign ban (July 8 to October 18);

–          Last day to file petition for inclusion of voters (July 16);

–          Last day to file petition for exclusion of voters (July 21);

–          Last day for the Election Registration Board (ERB), Citizens’ Arm and Civic Organizations to verify, certify and seal the List of Voters for the 2023 BSKE (July 27);

–          Last day of posting of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan certified and final Computerized Voters’ Lists (CVL) (August 1);

–          Period to constitute the members of the Electoral Board and Barangay Board of Canvassers (BBOC) (August 1 to October 11);

–          Last day to conduct inspection of Voting Centers or Polling Places (August 15);

–          Last day to file requests, petitions for transfer, change or correction of name or address of voting centers or polling places (September 15);

–          Official campaign period (October 19 to 28);

–          Eve of election day (October 29); and

–          Election day (October 30).

The last day to file Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) for the campaigns is on November 29.

During the election period, there will be either prohibitions or heavy regulations of the following activities or products:

–          Bearing, carrying or transporting firearms or other deadly weapons in public places, including any building, street, park, private vehicle or public conveyance, or even if licensed to possess or carry the same, unless authorized in writing by the COMELEC, under Batas Pambansa No. 881 (Omnibus Election Code, as amended);

–          Use of security personnel or bodyguards by candidates, under Republic Act No. 9166;

–          Alteration of territory of an election precinct or establishment of a new precinct, under Rep. Act No. 8189 (The Voter’s Registration Act of 1996);

–          Raising of funds thru dances, lotteries, cockfights, etc., under B.P. No. 881;

–          Vote-buying and vote-selling;

–          Wagering upon result of election;

–          Transfer or detail of officers and employees in the civil service, including public school teachers;

–          Coercing, threatening, intimidating or terrorizing any election official or employee in the performance of his election functions or duties;

–          Illegal release of prisoners before and after elections;

–          Organizing or maintenance of reaction forces, strike forces or similar forces; and

–          Suspension of local elective officials.

Meanwhile, the following activities are prohibited during the official campaign period, with some also prohibited before, within, or beyond election day:

–          Removing, destroying, obliterating, defacing, tampering or preventing distribution of lawful election propaganda;

–          Posting, displaying, distributing and using illegal campaign materials;

–          Making any donation or gift in cash or in kind;

–          Appointing or using special policemen, special/confidential agents or the like;

–          Using armored land, water or air craft;

–          Policemen and provincial guards acting as bodyguards of public officials or candidates;

–          Release, disbursement or expenditures of public funds;

–          Construction or maintenance of barangay funded roads and bridges; and

–          Appointment or hiring of new employees, creation of new positions, filling of new positions, promotion or giving of salary increases, remuneration or privileges in the barangay.

On the eve of election day, prohibited acts include campaigning, giving and/or accepting free transportation, foods, drinks, and things of value, and selling, furnishing, offering, buying, serving or taking intoxicating liquor, all of which are also banned during election day.

On election day itself, the following are banned:

–          Campaigning;

–          Giving and/or accepting free transportation, food, drinks and things of value;

–          Using voter’s affidavit of another for the purpose of voting, whether or not actually succeeds in voting;

–          Voting more than once or in substitution of another;

–          Destroying, substituting, or taking away from the possession of those having legal custody thereof, or from the place where they are legally deposited, any election from or document or ballot box which contains official ballots or other documents used in the election;

–          Soliciting votes or undertaking any propaganda for or against any candidate within, or 30 meters away from, the polling place;

–          Selling, furnishing, offering, buying, serving or taking intoxicating liquor;

–          Opening of booths or stalls for the sale, etc., of wares, merchandise or refreshments, within a 30-meter radius from the polling place; and

–          Holding of fairs, cockfights, boxing, horse races or similar sports.

The resolution cited election-related laws, including Batas Pambansa Bilang 881 (Omnibus Election Code, as amended), Republic Act No. 9166, Rep, Act No. 8189 (The Voter’s Registration Act of 1996), and Rep. Act No. 6646 (The Electoral Reforms Law of 1987).

“This calendar of activities is the basis of the COMELEC for our work with the gradual enactment of policies, especially with respect to our candidates [for the 2023 BSKE]. We have already finished registration [last January], and in July 3, the filing of COCs will start,” Sayno said in an interview.

He also explained that the COC filing was set much earlier, similar to the national and local elections in the provincial and municipal or city levels, to scrutinize candidates’ compliance with requirements set by law.

“During the filing of the COC, there would still be many problems to be resolved, including aspirants filing despite not being registered voters, unqualifies for age especially for the SK which is only for 18 to 24 on the day of the election. Before the COMELEC can release certified list of candidates, everything needs to be ironed out, unlike before, in elections there are still petitions for disqualifications,” he stated.

The 2023 BSKE, set on October 30, is the latest postponement in the village and youth councils’ polls, after a law was passed to postpone them to 2023 citing the pandemic and ongoing economic woes.