Comelec OKs 'withdrawal form' for Cha-cha signature campaign

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has approved a “withdrawal form” for individuals who wish to retract their signatures in the people’s initiative (PI) for the amendment of the 1987 Constitution.

In a memorandum dated February 14, the Comelec said the forms will be available at the Office of Election Officers (OEO) and may be submitted to the same office.

“The Commission, after due deliberation resolved, as it hereby resolves to approve the hereto attacked and forming an integral part hereof, Withdrawal Form for Signatures in the Signature Sheets submitted for Petition for People’s Initiative,” the memorandum read.

“Resolved, further, to instruct the Election Officers to make available to the public the said form, and to receive/ accept the accomplished forms for recording purposes,” it added.

The Comelec also directed its Education and Information Department to “disseminate this information, while clarifying that the acceptance of withdrawal forms shall not be construed as formal action by the Commission on the signature sheets/ petition for PI”.

All proceedings related to the PI remains suspended, the poll body added.

On January 29, the Comelec en banc temporarily halted all proceedings related to the petition after voting for the suspension of Comelec Resolution No. 10650 that covers the guidelines for the people’s initiative.

Under the signature campaign led by People’s Initiative for Modernization and Reform Action (PIRMA), voters were asked if they were in favor of amending Article 17 Section 1 of the Constitution by allowing all members of Congress to jointly vote on proposed constitutional amendments.

This amendment is a departure to the existing provision which does not explicitly state whether the House of Representatives and the Senate should vote jointly or separately on proposed amendments to the Charter via Constituent Assembly.

These efforts to amend the Constitution via people’s initiative has become controversial after several lawmakers disclosed that the public was allegedly bribed or promised with government aid in exchange for their signatures.

Senators condemned these efforts, which they believed was supported by the House of Representatives, particularly Speaker Martin Romualdez.

The Senate unanimously released a manifesto against the present people’s initiative efforts, saying the House is out to abolish the Senate given that the document for signature asks voters to if they are in favor of amending the Charter to allow members of Congress to jointly vote on constitutional amendments, a setup which would consider the vote of 24 senators and more than 300 members of the lower house.—RF, GMA Integrated News