KINASTIGO ni Senador Panfilo Lacson si Pampanga Rep. Mikey Arroyo sa makasariling ideya na

ipagpaliban ang national elections sa 2022 sanhi ng corona virus 2019 (COVID-19).
Sa pahayag, sinabi ni Lacson na malinaw na palalawigin ng ideya ni Arroyo ang termino ng lahat ng

halal na opisyal, kabilang siya, kapag ipinagpaliban ang 2022 presidential and senatorial elections.
Ayon kay Lacson, lantarang paglabag ito sa Saligang Batas na itinakda na kailangan magdaos ng

halalan tuwing ikatlong taon sa local at senatorial elections at tuwing ika-anim na taon para sa

panguluhan at bise presidente kabilang ang senador, miyembro ng mababang kapulungan at local

government units.
“Just so it is clear, cancelling or postponing the election to pave the way for the extension of the terms

of office of the President, Vice-President, 12 senators, district representatives as well as elected local

government officials beyond June 30, 2022 is a clear violation of the Constitution,” ayon kay Lacson.
Kamakailan, inilutang ni Arroyo ang makasariling ideya sa ginanap na pagdinig ng mababang

kapulungan hinggil sa badyet ng Commission on Elections (Comelec) na lantarang sinopla rin ng

komisyon.
“I’ve been doing my share of reading about this pandemic and it seems that, assuming for the sake of

argument that nothing goes wrong, the earliest that the vaccine will be available in our country for

everybody, maybe September or October next year,” ayon kay Arroyo.
“The thought that we will postpone the elections, has that ever triggered in your mind?” tanong nya

sa Comelec.
“Hindi po talaga. Because alam naman natin that this is a constitutional mandate at fixed yung

nilagay,” tugon ni Comelec Sheriff Abas, saka idinagdag na nagpaplano ang poll body hinggil sa health

at safety protocols para sa 2022 elections.
Kaya, inihayag ni Lacson na anomang diskusyon o debate hinggil sa isyu, wala nang kuwenta ito kundi

man pagsasayang ng panahon at enerhiya.
“Also, since the Constitution also provides that “elections for the members of Congress and local

positions (except barangay officials) occur every second Monday of every third year after May 1992,

and presidential and vice presidential elections occur every second Monday of May every sixth year

after May 1992”, and that “elected officials, except those at the barangay level, start (and end) their

terms of office on 30 June of the election year”, the proposal of the Commission on Elections to extend

the May 2022 elections a day or two before or after the dates specified under the Constitution may

face a constitutional challenge before the Supreme Court,” mahabang paliwanag ng mambabatas.
Bukod pa rito ang balidong isyu at pangangailangan na kinasasangkutan ng seguridad ng “secrecy and

sanctity of the ballot” na nakatakda sa 1987 Constitution, na puwedeng maging trending kapag hindi

nabantayan nang husto ang balota.
“At the end of the day, it is the Constitution that should guide all of us in this regard,” giit ni Lacson.

(ESTONG REYES)