Sen. Imee Marcos has warned against further postponing elections, saying the government should not “bend” election laws whether for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) or the 2028 national and local polls.
Marcos made the statement after the Commission on Elections (Comelec) halted preparations for the November 2026 BSKE the enactment of Republic Act No. 12326, which moved the next barangay and SK elections to the second Monday of November 2028.
In a statement issued Oct. 5, Marcos questioned the authority of Congress to determine the terms of local and national elected officials, saying its power in this area is limited to barangay and SK elections.
“Malinaw na ang probisyon ng Omnibus Election Code sa pagpapaliban ng halalan ay hindi pwedeng gawin para sa buong bansa, lalo na para sa matagalang pagpapaliban,” Marcos said.
She said the postponement under RA 12326 should not be used as a basis for extending the suspension of elections beyond the barangay and SK level.
“Hanggang sa barangay at SK lang ang sakop ng kapangyarihan nila,” she added.
Marcos also raised the possibility of a “no-el” or no-election scenario in 2028, saying she did not consider it impossible based on what she described as previous instances when laws became an obstacle to the administration’s plans.
“Nakita naman natin sa mga nakalipas na araw, kapag nakasagabal ang batas sa gusto ng administrasyon, binabaluktot nila ito. Kaya hindi imposible ang no-el sa 2028,” she said.
The statement came amid a legal challenge to RA 12326. The Supreme Court has directed the Office of the President, Congress and the Comelec to comment on a petition questioning the law’s postponement of the 2026 BSKE.
Comelec Chairman George Garcia has said the poll body will comply with whatever decision the Supreme Court issues on the matter. He also said the commission would need additional preparation time if the 2026 BSKE were to proceed.
The Comelec has already stopped activities related to the Nov. 2, 2026 BSKE, including the scheduled filing of certificates of candidacy.
RA 12326, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Sept. 24, extended the terms of incumbent barangay and SK officials to five years and reset the next BSKE to November 2028. Succeeding barangay and SK elections will then be held every five years.
The Comelec had originally scheduled the 2026 BSKE for Nov. 2 after an earlier law moved the elections from 2025 to 2026.
Garcia earlier said the commission had already spent about P8 billion on preparations for the postponed BSKE and that procured election materials would be stored for possible use in the 2028 polls.
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