MANILA -- The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will file a motion for reconsideration (MR) before the Supreme Court (SC) to ask for the postponement of the December 2025 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) to October 2026.

Comelec chairman George Garcia said they will ask the Solicitor General to file the MR within the week since they are still waiting for a copy of the full decision of the SC declaring unconstitutional Republic Act No. 11935, which postponed the said polls from December 2022 to October 2023.

Garcia said they respect the SC ruling, but would want to clarify one thing.

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“Sa amin pong palagay may nakikita kami na dapat ma-clarify mabuti, kasi nga ang ine-expect kung October [ang BSKE), dapat October din [ang susunod],” Garcia said.

“Kung bibilangin mo ang three years ng October, so dapat 2026. ‘Yun ang contention ng Commission on Elections. Sa aming palagay we have to respect ‘yung three years, equally, the term of office," he added.

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If, just in case, that the Comelec is satisfied with the full decision of the SC, then they might not file an MR, according to Garcia.

He also said it would be a big help for the poll body if the December 2025 BSKE is postponed because they will be able to focus on the national elections.

For the October 2023 BSKE, Garcia said they have completed all the equipment needed and only need to print an additional of 1.3 million ballots.

Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco in a public briefing also said they are "100 percent ready" for the October polls.

-- With a report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News