NAMFREL to seek Supreme Court review of BSKE postponement law

Eric Alvia, secretary general of NAMFREL, disclosed that the watchdog is preparing to ask its council for approval to file a petition for certiorari before the Supreme Court, aiming to overturn the recent law that postpones the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections. NAMFREL labels the legislation unconstitutional, saying it curtails citizens' ability to vote and select local leaders. The law, enacted by President Ferdinand Marcos, moves the elections to 2028 and extends the tenure of barangay and SK officials from four to five years, a move NAMFREL says should be treated as a separate issue from the postponement itself.

The group argues that economic hardship makes fresh, accountable leadership even more essential, not less. The Commission on Elections noted it has already spent a large portion of its budget on election preparations that may now go unused. NAMFREL pledged to join any effort that questions the law's validity.