‘PI signature withdrawal needs no explanation’
SIGNATORIES to the people’s initiative (PI) who wish to pull out their signature from the forms submitted to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) don’t need to explain the retraction and to secure notarization for the withdrawal form, the poll body said.
Chairman George Erwin Garcia said on Monday that the “reason for withdrawal of signature,” which is among the items listed in the withdrawal form available in local Comelec offices, was just an option.
“There is no need to notarize the withdrawal form. There is also no need to explain why you wanted to withdraw your signature. Explaining your reason for withdrawal is just an option,” Garcia clarified.
Senators earlier questioned the Comelec why a signatory should explain the decision to withdraw his or her signature.
Garcia also turned down the proposal of election lawyer Romulo Macalintal to just do away with the signature forms submitted to local offices of the Comelec, saying that they could not do so because the forms were entrusted to the poll body.
He added that the signature forms may be returned to the proponents provided they also return to the concerned local Comelec offices the certification issued to them.
Withdrawal forms are now available in local Comelec offices in cities and municipalities.
The commission en banc approved last week the distribution of withdrawal forms after disclosure by Sen. Ronald dela Rosa during the hearing of the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation that there were individuals who have manifested their intention to withdraw their signatures in the signature sheets/petition, which was part of the process to amend the Constitution through people’s initiative.
Also, the en banc resolution instructs the election officers to receive/accept the accomplished withdrawal forms for recording purposes.
In his memorandum relative to the withdrawal form for signatures, Garcia said there is no process under Comelec Resolution10650 or any other resolution for such withdrawal, which was among the reasons why the commission indefinitely suspended Resolution 10650, the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) on the Constitution and initiative and referendum on national and local legislation.
“The suspension is indefinite until the Commission is able to come up with credible, properly reviewed, revised and enhanced rules on people’s initiative,” the Comelec chief said.
With the suspension of Resolution 10650, the Comelec also indefinitely suspended all proceedings concerning the controversial move to amend the Constitution through PI.
Prior to the suspension order, Comelec records showed that 209 legislative districts out of 254 have submitted signature forms to the local Comelec. It involved some seven million signatures.
Under existing rules, the PI signature campaign should get 3% of all registered voters in all 254 legislative districts and 12 percent of voters nationwide.
Failure to get 3 percent of voters’ signatures in a particular district is already a ground for automatic dismissal of a petition filed before the Comelec en banc.