BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO
TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (May 11)—Even as Comelec weighed anti-Covid measures for next year’s polls, Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba has proposed that the elections be called off until the majority of the population is vaccinated against Covid-19.
During the flag-raising ceremony at the capitol on Monday, Mamba said pushing through with the vote at a time the pandemic has not subsided could lend political color to the government’s Covid response.
“What is important now is that the people should not be divided especially that elections cause division among the people. Let us not divide our people and let us not politicize our war against Covid-19,” he said.
Mamba said the people will be put at risk especially during house-to-house campaigns, political rallies and related events.
“It is best for the country to postpone the elections because we may not be able to cope with the worst effects of the pandemic in case we become like India and America where Covid-19 infections have worsened due to politics and elections,” he said.
It would be better to realign funds for holding elections to the fight against Covid-19, Mamba said.
The governor suggested that the House of Representatives and Senate be transformed into a Constituent Assembly that will work on the postponement of the elections. LEANDER C. DOMINGO