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Comelec: Signature verification may clash with voter registration

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ABS-CBN News

<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2936925" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>MANILA — The Commission on Elections will not be able to conduct voter registration and the verification of signatures in a People&#x27;s Initiative petition at the same time for lack of resources, its chairman George Garcia said Sunday.</p><p>Speaking on TeleRadyo Serbisyo, Garcia said voter registration — seen to start in February — will not affect voter count for a prospective petition, but will prove a challenge to the commission if done alongside signature verification.</p><p>&quot;Malamang may ma-sakripisyo na isang aktibidad at hindi maipagsasabay ng Commission of Elections, &#x27;yan ang katotohanan,&quot; he said.</p><p>He said that the Comelec plans to hold voter registration activities in public places like malls, which would mean that staff will not be available.</p><p>&quot;Sadya pong napakahirap sapagkat yung resources at yung manpower,&quot; he also said.</p><p>Voter registration will run until September.</p><p>He said that while the Comelec will get help from local government units for the registration, the verification must be done by the commission&#x27;s own personnel.</p><p>Garcia said that it is too soon to say how the Comelec will manage the two tasks since no petition has been submitted yet. </p><p>In the meantime, he said, local Comelec offices will check signature sheets and watch out for duplicates before issuing a certification on the number of signatures submitted.</p><p>Verification will only happen once a petition is submitted to the Comelec and the commission finds it sufficient in form and substance.</p><div><strong>VOTERS CAN WITHDRAW SIGNATURES</strong></div><p>In the same interview, Garcia said the Omnibus Election Code does not indicate an offense for signature buying.</p><p>He added that the poll body could not prescribe criminal liability for signature-buying and noted that legislation needs to be passed to penalize that.</p><p>&quot;Sa part po namin, &#x27;yun po ang dahilan bakit ayaw ko munang desisyonan o sabihin ang magiging aksiyon ng Comelec sapagkat maghihintay muna kami ng magko-complain,&quot; Garcia said then.</p><p>Lawmakers have raised concerns over <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/01/09/24/lawmakers-claim-govt-aid-cash-being-used-in-exchange-for-supporting-charter-change" target="_blank">alleged government payoffs</a> in a signature drive to amend the 1987 Constitution, without naming the people behind it. Several government agencies have denied the bribery allegations.</p><p>Unlike signature buying, vote buying is considered an election offense. Candidates who are proven to have been engaged in vote buying are disqualified by the Comelec.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/01/19/24/vp-duterte-calls-out-alleged-buying-of-signature-for-peoples-initiative">VP Duterte calls out alleged buying of signature for people&#x27;s initiative</a></li></ul><div><strong>SIGNATURES COULD BE VOIDED</strong></div><p>In a separate interview with ANC, Garcia committed that they would look into the signature-buying allegations, which would be considered to determine whether or not the signatures are valid.</p><p>He explained that the Comelec could &quot;set aside&quot; the signatures because of the allegations provided that the evidence is strong enough that voters were &quot;manipulated&quot; to sign the forms.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/01/14/24/vote-buying-could-void-signatures-for-peoples-initiative-comelec">&#x27;Vote-buying&#x27; could void signatures for people&#x27;s initiative: Comelec</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TT2H7lZgEtA?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>Meanwhile, voters can withdraw their signatures of support for a petition to change the constitution once the Comelec begins the 60-day verification process, Garcia said.</p><p>Voters can head to local Comelec offices and tell election officers their intent to take back their signatures from the forms, he said.</p><p>&quot;Sa kasalukuyan hindi namin puwedeng galawin pa &#x27;yung signature forms na nasa amin,&quot; Garcia also said, &quot;dahil ang purpose lang muna ay &#x27;yung pagbilang ng kabuuan kung ilan lahat &#x27;yung lagda na nandiyan.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/20/24/peoples-initiative-threatens-legislative-checks-and-balances-carpio">People&#x27;s Initiative threatens legislative checks and balances: Carpio</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/20/24/rights-group-wary-of-charter-changes-impact-on-workers">Labor rights group wary of charter change&#x27;s impact on workers</a></li></ul><div><strong>NO NEED FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDS</strong></div><p>While signature campaigns for a people&#x27;s initiative can be expensive for petitioners, the Comelec would not need additional funds to facilitate it, according to Garcia.</p><p>&quot;Technically, wala halos gastos kasi &#x27;yan &#x27;yung trabahong gagawin namin kung papasok ang aming mga empleyado sa local Comelec mula umaga hanggang hapon. Hindi naman kami para manghingi at ipagbabawal natin &#x27;yan,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;At the same time kami ay may regular na overtime dahil naghahanda na rin kami sa 2025 national and local elections. wala pong gastos na kakailanganin sa verification dahil regular na tungkulin din yan halos ng Comelec,&quot; he added.</p><div><strong>REQUIRED MINIMUM SIGNATURES</strong></div><p>On Thursday, the Comelec local offices received more signature forms for the People&#x27;s Initiative, with Rep. Joey Salceda claiming that the push will achieve minimum signatures nationwide next week.</p><p>A petition to amend the constitution through the People&#x27;s Initiative needs to be signed by at least 12 percent of the total number of registered voters and each legislative district must be represented by at least 3 percent of registered voters. </p><p>Garcia said the basis for the ongoing initiative would be the number of registered voters in the 2023 barangay and SK elections, which is more than 67 million.</p><p>Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco earlier said that voter registration for the upcoming 2025 midterm elections may be halted temporarily to give way to the verification of signatures.</p><p>Charter change has been revived through the People&#x27;s Initiative this month. A Senate resolution was also filed to allow Congress to pass laws relaxing restrictions on foreign ownership in public utilities, educational institutions, and advertising industries. <strong>— Rowegie Abanto, ABS-CBN News </strong></p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/01/16/24/bumigay-na-senate-caved-to-charter-change-pressure-solon-claims">&#x27;Bumigay na&#x27;: Senate &#x27;caved&#x27; to Charter change pressure, solon claims</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/01/15/24/what-does-zubiris-charter-change-resolution-seek-to-amend">What does Zubiri&#x27;s charter change resolution seek to amend?</a></li></ul>

'Malamang may ma-sakripisyo na isang aktibidad at hindi maipagsasabay ng Commission of Elections, 'yan ang katotohanan,' Comelec chairman George Garcia said.