Pampanga Representative Mikey Arroyo on Thursday urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to look at postponing the 2022 national elections, adding voters are afraid of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The decision whether the 2022 local and national elections would push through was not up to Comelec but at the hands of the Congress and President Rodrigo Duterte, said Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas.
He added Comelec is benchmarking best practices in South Korea and the US to ensure that the 2022 polls would be safe for Filipinos.
Bartolome Sinocruz said Comelec is considering the online filing of certificates of candidacies, with positions staggered on different days. The law allows online filing, but he said internet connection should also be considered.
Meanwhile, Agusan del Norte Rep. Lawrence Fortun is pushing for a 3-day election as he asked the Comelec to give them a scenario on what the campaign and voting would look like during the pandemic.
Sinocruz responded election could be for more than a day, which would also extend the voting hours. He cited overseas absentee voting wherein OFWs have 30 days to vote.
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Mikey Arroyo wants to postpone 2022 elections
Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez urged Congress to restore the budget cut from their initial proposal so the poll body could buy more voting machines so there would be fewer voters per machine.
Sinocruz said Comelec targets to reduce the number of voters to 5 per precinct from the usual 12.
Jimenez also said the poll body is also hoping that the lawmakers could pass pending bills to expand the coverage of alternative modes, including voting by mail.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., meanwhile, criticized the proposal of Mikey Arroyo, saying, “You don’t cancel elections for any reason. That’s treason.”
“We are a democracy or a s*** slave colony. Hold elections period. Those brave to stand in line & vote—even if only 12—decide the next President. Elections=democracy or F*** U. You fucking s***,” Mikey Arroyo said in a tweet.