Grand snafu: Delays snarl polls in 2,000 barangays

BY GERARD NAVAL and RAYMOND AFRICA

DELAYS in the delivery of election paraphernalia led to the postponement of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataang elections yesterday in some 2,000 barangays.

These areas will hold elections today or tomorrow, according to Chairman Jose Melo of the Commission on Elections.

In a resolution issued late Monday, the Comelec asked President Aquino to declare October 26 or 27 as a special non-working holiday in barangays where special elections will be held.

The Comelec said out of the 40,025 barangays nationwide, there were 1,732 barangays where elections were postponed.

"We have 4.12 percent na hindi nakapag-function today (Monday)," said Director Teopisto Elnas of the Comelec’s Election and Barangay Affairs Department.

The PNP, however, recorded 2,023 barangays where the elections were postponed.

PNP chief Raul Bacalzo said these are in Masbate (551 barangays), Albay (431), Camarines Sur (298), Samar (209), Sorsogon (185), Catanduanes (183), Isabela (87), Cagayan (20), Capiz (20), Pangasinan (19), Nueva Vizcaya (16), and two each in Tarlac and Aklan.