Senior citizens cast their vote during the midterm elections, May 12, 2025. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File
MANILA — The Office of the Solicitor General asked the Supreme Court to deny the petition against the postponement of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections originally scheduled this year.
In the comment filed by the OSG in behalf of respondents Office of the President, Senate, House of Representatives and the Commission on Elections dated October 5, the issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) and other reliefs as prayed for by veteran election lawyer Romulo Macalintal would cause disruption in the operations of the poll body.
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“Respondent Comelec has already suspended its preparations, lifted the election prohibitions, and discontinued the filing of certificates of candidacy and the campaign period,” the OSG said.
The suspension of operations followed the President’s signing of Republic Act No. 12326 or the Act Fixing the Term of Office of Barangay Officials and Members of the Sangguniang Kabatan to Five Years, which effectively postponed the November 2026 polls to November 2028.
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The OSG said the supposed resulting disruption would affect not only the parties but also the orderly conduct of the electoral process.
“The public interest therefore favors maintaining a stable and predictable electoral calendar and weighs against the grant of interim relief,” the OSG said.
The OSG added that the petition failed to meet the heavier burden required to prevent the implementation of a law.
“The foregoing discussion shows that petitioner utterly failed to establish a clear and unmistakable right, a material and substantial invasion of that right, and an urgent need for the writ to prevent irreparable injury,” the OSG said.
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