By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Barangay Tangub Captain Noli Villarosa, who serves as chairman of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) in the Negros Island Region (NIR), yesterday revealed his organization’s support for the postponement of the October 2017 barangay elections, but their opposition to the proposal of having barangay officials appointed.
He voiced his endorsement of the national executive board of the Liga ng mga Barangay (Liga) resolution requesting a postponement of the polls, but said he is unaware if their proposal is similar to the one passed by Surigao del Norte 2nd District Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, which seeks to reschedule the polls for May 2020.
The Barbers resolution also grants President Rodrigo Duterte the power to appoint barangay officials until the election, which Villarosa opposed.
“Under the law, barangays should be non-partisan,” he said. “Local officials cannot meddle in our affairs.”
The local barangay official suggested a multi-sectoral committee should be created by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to identify and consider potential candidates.
Earlier, Bacolod City Lone District Rep. Greg Gasataya and Abang Lingkod Party-list Rep. Stephen Paduano said the fate of the barangay elections is still uncertain.
Meanwhile, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri believes the issue will be put to rest during the president’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) next month./WDJ