Local Comelec no longer accept PI signatures

The provincial and local offices of the Commission on Elections are no longer accepting signatures supporting the People’s Initiative seeking the amendment of the 1987 Constitution since Tuesday, Atty. Ian Lee Ananoria, provincial election supervisor, said today.

“The instruction from the national office to us is just to preserve, seal and secure the signatures that have been submitted to us pending review,” Ananoria said.

Data from the poll body showed there are already 248,398 signatures that have been collected from different towns and cities including Bacolod City and submitted in the provincial office of the COMELEC.

Atty. Cesar Beloria Jr, who is spearheading moves for those who want to withdraw their signatures, welcomed the latest decision of the COMELEC.

Beloria they have already evidence to prove that the signature campaign for PI has irregularities in Bacolod City.

“We have proof that it was initiated by some political leaders and that we are gathering more proof and for the witnesses to execute affidavit,” he added.

Beloria said their initiative is not only a signature campaign but for the withdrawal of the signatures.

For Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, “it’s a wait and see. That’s the call of the COMELEC. If it is eventually stopped.”

“The issue here is charter change (ChaCha) through people’s initiative. People’s Initiative is Constitutional. It seems that people’s initiative is not a viable process. Every time you go through a people’s initiative there is a counter that money is involved. Might as well take that option out. It’s either the Constitutional Convention or a Constituent Assembly,” the governor said.

Lacson said local officials never met and discussed about People’s Initiative.

“I cannot comment because with all honesty we never seat down or never discussed people’s initiative,” Lacson said when asked to comment on reports that local officials are behind the signature campaign for PI.* (Eugene Y. Adiong)