MANILA, Philippines — Veteran election lawyer Atty. Romulo Macalintal announced on Friday his intention to file a Supreme Court challenge against the newly enacted measure delaying the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
The announcement came after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Republic Act No. 12326, which shifts the local elections from November 2026 to November 2028. The legislation automatically extends the terms of sitting village and youth officials from four to five years.
Macalintal pointed out that this latest deferment accumulates to a three-year delay from the original December 2025 schedule. The initial adjustment occurred under Republic Act No. 12232, which reset the December 2025 vote to November 2026 and expanded local terms from three to four years.
“This latest enactment tacks on another staggering two-year postponement and a two-year term extension,” Macalintal said.
He confirmed his plans to contest the new law before the High Bench.
“Voters like me are left with no choice but to bring this matter before the Supreme Court via a Petition for Certiorari,” he said.
Macalintal further criticized the rapid approval and signing of the legislation, warning that the swift legislative process undermines the public’s ability to seek legal remedies.
“This calculated strategy was designed to willfully deprive voters of sufficient time to seek judicial redress or a temporary restraining order,” he added.
Prior to the bill’s signing, Macalintal had urged the Chief Executive to veto the measure, proposing instead that the 2026 elections proceed while granting five-year terms to the winning candidates.
“That less restrictive path would have fulfilled term-setting goals without trampling upon the electorate’s fundamental right to choose their grassroots leaders,” he previously said.