Manila: The Philippines’ elections commission on Monday rejected proposals to postpone next year’s presidential polls amid concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.
The Philippine Constitution states that elections for President and Vice President should be held every six years on the second Monday of May, dpa news agency reported.
So next year’s elections, scheduled on May 9, should push through, said James Jimenez, spokesman for the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
“We just cannot reschedule or cancel elections because it is the constitution that schedules it,” he said.
A Congressman proposed last week the postponement of the elections due to the Covid-19 pandemic, amid concerns that the vote could be a superspreader event.
Jimenez also warned the public against a website conducting an online survey on potential presidential candidates next year.
In a Twitter post, he said that the website PiliPinas2020.ph is “not affiliated with the Comelec in anyway”.
Among the politicians being eyed as possible presidential candidates are Vice President Leni Robredo; daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, Mayor Sara Duterte; and Senator and boxing champion Manny Pacquiao.
Other potential candidates are former senator and son of late dictator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Junior, Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso and Senator Grace Poe.
Aside from President and Vice President, Filipinos are also going to elect half of the 24-member Senate, more than 200 members of the House of Representatives and thousands of local officials.
