Group Appeals to Comelec to Postpone 2022 Elections Amid Health Crisis
A group files a petition to the Commission on Election (Comelec) to postpone the May 2022 elections amid the threat of the health crisis.
Because of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the Coalition for Life and Democracy has filed a petition to the Comelec to postpone the May 9, 2022 election. According to the organization, the infectious disease may risk the lives of voters.
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The organization filed an urgent request with the Comelec on Tuesday to arrange a hearing and manifestation in connection with the petition it filed with the Comelec on December 10, 2021, asking to change the election date. According to the petition, if the election is not postponed, the situation will be extremely unfair to voters.
“Worst, many would be disenfranchised as people would, for fear of losing their lives, avoid going to polling precincts to cast their votes,” the group said in the petition.
Unresolved petitions for disqualification of those who filed their certificate of candidacy for Election 2022 were also noted by the group. This comprises party-list organizations that did not agree with the Comelec’s decision to remove their election accreditation.
“The need to defer printing and holding of elections appears warranted, highly necessary, legitimate, prudent and proper,” based on the petition.
“With the obtaining circumstances, holding a clean, free, orderly and honest elections appears highly difficult, if not impossible,” he added.
The petition is unlikely to succeed, according to Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez, because the election suspension is unlawful. According to Jimenez, the Constitution has no clause stating that officials will remain in office if elections are not held.
“The Constitution is very specific about when elections are to be held and there is no holdover provision in the Constitution or anywhere for the positions that are up for election in the coming polls,” he said.
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