THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has raised the possibility of manual plebiscite for the Bangsamoro basic law (BBL) in the event that it is passed and it is decided to hold the plebiscite simultaneous with the national and local elections next year.
The poll body said it is already close to impossible to hold the BBL plebsicite using the automated election system (AES) considering the proximity of the coming elections.
“Mahirap na talaga, sobrang hirap na iyan…. We have to really have the six-month period. Pero ngayon, wala ng six months, manual na ang eleksyon niyan,” said Comelec Commissioner Christian Robert Lim, who chairs the poll body’s Steering Committee for the 2016 elections.
A period of at least six months, according to the poll official, is needed for the Comelec to include the BBL in its customization of the AES.
In addition, Lim said they need as much time in order to be able to procure the necessary equipment and paraphernalia for the plebiscite.
“One thing we proposed to Congress is if you want us to cut short the six months we need to prepare, you allow us with the alternative mode of procurement. Not the [public] bidding. Kasi ’yun nagpapatagal e. E hindi naman sila receptive,” Lim said.
Once the BBL is passed by the Congress and signed by the President, a plebiscite shall be conducted by the Comelec in order to determine the geographical scope of the would-be autonomous region.
Earlier, Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista said it would be the best scenario for the commission if the BBL plebiscite was held together with the forthcoming elections as it would be administratively easier for them to hold it.
The Comelec, however, had said it will need at least six months to prepare for holding the BBL plebiscite based on the assessment of its subcommittee on the Bangsamoro plebiscite.
The passage of the BBL remains in the list of Senate’s priority legislation.
Last week, Senate President Franklin Drilon said the BBL’s passage remains in the list of the Senate’s priority legislations.