NAMFREL representative Nestor Banuag rejected arguments that extending local terms to five years is necessary to clean up communities, combat local crime, or implement long-term barangay programs.
Banuag emphasized that crime prevention and community development are routine administrative duties that do not justify altering statutory term limits.
He warned that extending tenures weakens democratic accountability, maintaining that regular, scheduled elections remain the appropriate mechanism for citizens to evaluate and select local leadership.
