Senator Cynthia Villar said she does not know why the Lower House is insisting on passing a bill to postpone the May 14 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.

“It’s creating false hopes for the people,” she said.

The May 14 polls will push through, Congress’ last session day is on Wednesday next week, a law cannot be passed in three days, Villar, who was in Bacolod City yesterday, said.

The House Committee on Suffrage Monday voted to move the May 14 pollsto October 8 this year.

Villar said that, with three session days left, the House bill for the postponement of the barangay elections has only been passed at the committee level, it has not even reached plenary.

And even if the Lower House passes the bill next week, the country has a bicameral legislative system, she aid. If the Senate has no counterpart bill, nothing will happen, she said.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, who was also in Bacolod yesterday, echoed the statement of Villar saying it is unlikely that the May 14 elections will be postponed.

“We are still a bicameral legislature the last time I looked, the Senate has not been abolished,” she said.

Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (Neg, Occ., 3 rd District) said by Monday the Lower House will pass the bill for the postponement of the barangay elections but it is really up to the Senate to adopt their version and pass it.

However, the last time he spoke to Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, he was told that the postponement of the polls will face rough sailing in the Senate.

So it is unlikely that the May 14 polls will be postponed, he added.*CPG

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