Comelec ready to hold brgy. polls, 4 plebiscites in 2022 —Garcia

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is prepared for the simultaneous conduct of the 2022 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections and four plebiscites, Chairman George Garcia said Monday.

In an ambush interview, Garcia explained that elections are not interdependent on each other and the conduct of plebiscites should push through in accordance with the laws that provide for it.

"Actually, hindi nakadepende ang isang electoral exercise sa iba pang electoral exercises," he said.

"Madami nang nangyaring karanasan ang Comelec na nagkakasabay-sabay --  mayroong national election pagkatapos may plebisito," Garcia added.

"Hindi namin pupwedeng ipagpaliban ang mga plebisito dahil mayroon ding nakalagay sa batas kung kailan namin ika-conduct ang plebesito at siyempre nag-iintay din 'yung mismong lugar na maapektuhan ng plebisito."

There are four plebiscites that are set to be conducted this year:

• ratification of the creation of Barangay New Canaan out of Barangay Pag-Asa in Alabel, Sarangani on August 20, 2022
• ratification of conversion of Municipality of Calaca in Batangas into a component city on September 3,2022
• ratification of the division of Maguindanao Province into Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur on September 17
• ratification of the merging of 28 Barangays into the Barangays and one remaining barangay in Ormoc City on October 8

Meanwhile, the BSKE will be conducted in December.

"'Wag po kayo mag-alala, ang Comelec ay handa whether magkasabay-sabay ang isang national election or isang local election kasama na rin po ang mga plebesito," Garcia said. —KBK, GMA News