Senate to question Comelec's 'ministerial duty' of accepting people's initiative forms

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Senate to question Comelec's 'ministerial duty' of accepting people's initiative forms

Sherrie Ann Torres,

ABS-CBN News

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Senators brand the ongoing people
Senators brand the ongoing people's initiative as a "sinister and underhanded attempt to change the Constitution by exploiting our democratic process." Photo courtesy of Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri

MANILA — The Senate will formally question the legal basis of the Commission on Elections' (Comelec) so-called "ministerial duty" of accepting signature forms for the people’s initiative, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said Wednesday.

The Senate's "case" will be directed at the Comelec, Pimentel said.

“Yes cases 'directed' at Comelec for receiving signatures from unknown entity and then executing 'its ministerial duty' of counting signatures. Why do they even have this ministerial duty? They don’t even know who they owe this alleged duty to. And for what purpose?" Pimentel said.

Pimentel said the end goal is to stop the poll body from performing this "ministerial duty."

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The Comelec on Tuesday said only a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the Supreme Court could stop it from accepting signature forms for the people’s initiative.

The poll body also said that those who wish to withdraw their signatures could do so at their local Comelec office.

The people's initiative aims to change the charter to make Congress vote jointly on revisions or amendments, which would give the numerically superior House of Representatives a free hand on constitutional change, observers earlier said.

The Senate on Tuesday issued a strongly-worded "manifesto" condemning the people's initiative that they said aims to render the chamber irrelevant in future Charter change efforts.

Sen. Bato dela Rosa on Wednesday said they rejected the people's initiative because of its "ill motive."

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"Wrong move ang kanilang ginawa dahil from the very start meron nang ill motive eh. Bad faith yung ginagawa nila dahil gusto nilang ikapon yung Senado. Gusto nilang gawing insignificant ang Senado," Dela Rosa told ANC's Headstart.

The senators in their manifesto called the ongoing people's initiative as a "sinister and underhanded attempt to change the Constitution by exploiting our democratic process."

SUSPENDED

Meanwhile, Pimentel said discussions on Resolution of Both Houses No. 6, filed by Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, is “suspended.”

The bill targets to initiate economic amendments in the 1987 Constitution.

“Sa pagkakaintindi ko sa desisyon ng at least majority of senators ay suspended po ang pag-tackle sa RBH6 of the Senate,” Pimentel said.

Last Monday, the Senate formally referred RBH6 to the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes chaired by Sen. Robin Padilla.

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Padilla, however, said Sen. Sonny Angara was the better choice to tackle RBH6, given the latter’s legal and economic expertise.

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