Lagman: Some Albay mayors to file raps over signature-buying for Cha-cha

Several mayors in the first district of Albay are looking to file complaints against certain individuals over the alleged buying of signatures to push a people's initiative for Charter change, Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said on Tuesday.

The opposition congressman said mayors who received funds to gather signatures for Cha-cha will file the complaints before the end of January.

Lagman said mayor in the first district even ordered police in his area to arrest all those involved in the sale and buying of signatures for the people's initiative.

“Ang initial niyan ay hindi sa Korte Suprema. Puwedeng ang initial jurisdiction ay sa Comelec kung 'yan ay gagawing akin to an election offense. Sapagkat doon sa tinatawag nating Referendum Act, nakalagay roon na ang provision ng Omnibus Election Code ay applicable doon sa pag-implement ng Initiative and Referendum Act. Nakalagay naman sa ating election code na pinaparusahan, bawal ang pagbenta o pagbili ng voters” Lagman said.

(The initial step is not with the Supreme Court. The initial jurisdiction is with the Commission on Elections if that will be akin to an election offense. Under the Referendum Act, provisions of the Omnibus Election Code are applicable in the implementation of the Initiative and Referendum Act. In the election code, the buying and selling of votes are punishable.) 

Another option, Lagman said, was to file a criminal complaint for an election offense before the prosecutor’s Office.

Lagman also questioned the process of gathering signatures for PI.

“Doon sa ilalim ng batas, 'yung tinatawag nating Plebiscite and Referendum Act o Initiative and Referendum Act, nakalagay roon na pag merong signature campaign sa national legislation, kailangang yung mga botante ay pipirma sa harapan ng election registrar or his representatives. Kung ito ay requirement para sa national legislation, with more reason kailangan ito sa national plebiscite to amend the Constitution. Ito’y hindi nangyayari. Kanya-kanyang papirma,” Lagman said.

(Under the Initiative and Referendum Act, in case of a signature campaign for national legislation, voters should sign before the election registrar or his representatives. If this is required for national legislation, there is more reason to do so in a plebiscite to amend the Constitution.  But this is not being done. People sign on their own.)

Former Ako Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin, who has joined the people's initiative as a petitioner, said that any person could file cases and oppose the movement.

“That’s part of the democratic process. Anybody can file and oppose the movement. And at the same time, kami naman ay hayaan kami to let the process work and do the procedure,” former Ako Bicol Rep Alfredo Garbin said.

(And at the same, we should be allowed the let the process work and do the procedure.)

Garbin said the initiative had gathered the required number of signatures in legislative districts in Albay, Sorsogon, and Catanduanes.

He added that the signature campaign for PI continues despite the Senate’s recent pronouncement that it will lead efforts in Congress for charter change. —NB, GMA Integrated News