Sigaw to appeal Comelec decision before SC

Proponents of the people's initiative for constitutional amendments, as expected, will appeal before the Supreme Court next week the Commission on Elections (Comelec) decision junking their plea. Lawyer Raul Lambino, in a phone interview with GMANews.TV, said his group Sigaw ng Bayan will file a petition before the high tribunal by "Tuesday or at the latest Wednesday." "The Comelec committed grave abuse of discretion. We will evaluate this and take the matter to the SC," Lambino said. Citing the absence of an enabling law, the Comelec denied "due course" to the people's initiative petition filed by Sigaw and another pro-Charter change group, the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (Ulap). Sigaw ng Bayan claimed to have gathered some 10 million signatures from all over the country in support of efforts to amend the 1987 Constitution. Of this number, Lambino claimed, over six million signatures were duly validated by local elections officials and were eventually in their petition to the poll body. A minimum of three percent of voters from each legislative district is required for a people's initiative. The total number must make up 12 percent of registered voters around the country, or about five million signatories. In its five-page decision, the Comelec en banc said Sigaw's signatures "appear to meet the minimum per centum" of voters but the poll body is "permanently enjoined" from entertaining people's initiative petitions. Senators, congressmen and legal experts have said that regardless of the Comelec's move, the Cha-cha petition would inevitably end up at the Supreme Court. This time, Lambino took the expected course of action. "I will meet today (Friday) and this weekend with lawyers of Sigaw ng Bayan and discuss our arguments so we can come up with our draft petition," Lambino said. He added, "After primary parties sign the petitions, we will file it Tuesday or at the latest Wednesday." - Joan Dairo, GMANews.TV