Lagman: Comelec no power to refuse voter signup extension

Albay Representative Edcel Lagman on Friday underscored that the Commission on Elections could not refuse to extend the voter registration process as the poll body is mandated to continue the registration until January 9, 2022.

Lagman is the principal author of Republic Act No. 8189 or "The Voter's Registration Act of 1996," which establishes a system of continuing registration of voters under Section 8:

"The personal filing of application of registration of voters shall be conducted daily in the office of the Election Officer during regular office hours. No registration shall, however, be conducted during the period starting one hundred twenty (120) days before a regular election and ninety (90) days before a special election."

Lagman said that under the prevailing law, the continuing registration of voters for the May 2022 elections will be up to January 9, 2022, which is 120 days before the May 9, 2022 regular elections.

Lagman stressed that the "stalling" of the voter's registration due to the pandemic makes the said law more reasonable and critical.

Both chambers of Congress have urged the Comelec to extend the voter's registration process to avoid massive voter disenfranchisement.

But the Comelec has insisted on sticking to the September 30 deadline, although it said that it is open to a weeklong extension, after the filing of certificate of candidacy from October 1 to 8.

In an earlier interview on "Unang Balita," Comlec spokesman James Jimenez said that the poll body is open to one- or two-week extension.

"We'll see what we can do," he said. —LBG, GMA News