Macalintal presses Marcos anew to veto BSKE postponement

MANILA, Philippines — Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal has again urged President Marcos to veto the measure postponing the Nov. 2 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) through an urgent supplemental letter-petition submitted to the Office of the President.

In the letter dated Sept. 21 and received by the OP on Tuesday, Macalintal flagged an “apparent oversight and lapse” by Congress in failing to distinguish between the “term” and “tenure” of office of barangay officials.

“This oversight clearly exposes a lack of proper study and comprehension by our lawmakers in crafting the enrolled bill now in your possession for approval or veto (disapproval). Such laxity renders the enrolled bill unconstitutional, as it is vague, defective, and violative of the right of suffrage,” the letter read.

Macalintal also argued that the supposed confusion between the two terms could create constitutional issues, particularly concerning vagueness, eligibility for reelection, and the right of suffrage.

His latest letter followed an earlier letter to Marcos dated Sept. 17, in which he warned that signing the measure or allowing it to lapse into law “will inflict severe constitutional injury.”

In his first letter, Macalintal also said he wanted to be personally heard by Marcos on the matter.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said during a briefing that she had not yet spoken with the President regarding Macalintal’s petition. /cb