The Commission on Elections said it is prepared to act accordingly if the Supreme Court intervenes in the postponement of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections, while maintaining the current status of preparations under the law now in effect.
Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the poll body will comply with whatever ruling the Supreme Court issues on the legal challenge against Republic Act No. 12326, which moved the BSKE from November 2026 to November 2028.
Garcia said the Comelec must follow the current law, which means there will be no BSKE on November 2 unless the Supreme Court issues an order changing the situation. The poll body has therefore suspended preparations for the 2026 elections while awaiting any court action.
The Supreme Court challenge was filed by election lawyer Romulo Macalintal, who asked the tribunal to stop the implementation of RA 12326 and declare the law unconstitutional. He also asked the court to direct the Comelec to continue preparing for the November 2 elections in case the petition is granted.
RA 12326 extends the terms of incumbent barangay and SK officials and sets the next elections for the second Monday of November 2028, with succeeding polls to be held every five years.
The uncertainty comes after the Comelec had already made substantial preparations for the 2026 elections. Garcia previously said the poll body was about 90% ready and had spent around P8 billion on preparations, including election materials and logistics.
The Comelec has also faced a tight timetable because the original filing period for certificates of candidacy was scheduled from September 28 to October 5, while deployment of election materials to remote areas was expected to begin in early October.
For now, the poll body is maintaining the status quo under RA 12326. Any Supreme Court order affecting the law or the election schedule would determine the next steps the Comelec must take.
