Cha-cha won’t stop May 2025 elections

THE upcoming 2025 national and local elections will proceed as scheduled despite the gathering of enough signatures to warrant Charter change (Cha-cha) through people’s initiative, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said.

“The Comelec will have no choice but to proceed with the conduct of the May 2025 election because it is mandated by the Constitution. We are duty bound to implement what is written in the Constitution,” Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said.

But he added that holding the February 12 to September 30 registration of voters could be VERY DIFFICULT BECAUSE OF THE NECESSARY VERIFICATION OF SIGNATURES FOR people’s initiative.

“The local Comelec, using the same personnel, can’t do both jobs at the same time,” he said.

“So that’s the reason. There is a purpose and reason why the registration of voters should end on September 30 so that it would NOT COME IN CONFLICT WITH THE NO registration rule 120 days before a general election and 90 days before a special election,” he added.

After September 30, he said, the Election Registration Board must conduct a hearing in December on how to clean up the list of registered voters.

He added that the Comelec must also hold two forthcoming plebiscites in Marawi City and Las Piñas City.

“So even if the registration of voters would be suspended, we still have to conduct the election in May 2025 at all costs. Even if there is a plebiscite as a result of people’s initiative or constituent assembly or constitutional convention, the Comelec will still proceed with the elections unless the Constitution is changed,” Garcia said.

As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, the number of legislative districts with election officer certifications in connection with the submission of signature pages has risen to 192 from 187 recorded at 11:30 a.m. on the same day, and 1,032 from 1,010 to cities and municipalities.