Lawyer to Oppose Extended Terms for Barangay Officials, Eyes Supreme Court

MANILA, Philippines — Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal has declared his strong opposition to Senate Bill 2387, which seeks to extend the term of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials to five years and postpone elections to November 2028. Macalintal indicated that he is prepared to file a petition with the Supreme Court to block the bill's passage. In a radio interview, Macalintal asserted that the proposed legislation violates the Constitution. He urged President Marcos Jr. to thoroughly study the bill before enacting it into law, suggesting that his advisors should be aware of this constitutional issue. Macalintal stated that his law office is already drafting the petition, awaiting only the Republic Act number once the bill is passed and signed. Senator Francis Escudero, the bill's proponent, stated that the measure aims to enhance the stability and consistency of public service at the barangay level. Macalintal, however, expressed skepticism, recalling a similar attempt in 2023 to extend terms. He accused proponents of "fooling the people" and misrepresenting the law. "They would say they will fix the term to five years from four years, so that the election scheduled on November 2026 will not push through and will just be held in 2028. Even if Congress has the power to fix the term of office, they don’t have the right to postpone election that has already been set," he explained. Information source: Philstar Nation