Senators to question before SC Comelec's acceptance of PI signatures

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 25) — Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel said he, and possibly with other lawmakers, would ask the Supreme Court to intervene amid the Commission on Elections (Comelec) continuous acceptance of signatures for a people's initiative for charter change.

During a briefing on Thursday, Pimentel said he was “sure” many senators would file a case against the Comelec’s move.

He said his petition would focus on questioning why the Comelec is receiving the papers, and why the poll body seems to know what to do with the papers.

“Most likely prohibition. Kasi ministrial duty daw, pero saan galing ‘yun?” he said.

[Translation: Most likely prohibition. They said it’s because of their ministerial duty, but where did that come from?]

READ: Comelec says accepting signature forms for Cha-cha a ministerial duty, explains process

Pimentel even lambasted Comelec for being “too accommodating.”

“There’s no law,” the solon said, noting the Supreme Court 's 1997 ruling deemed Republic Act No. 6735, or the Initiative and Referendum Act, as "insufficient to support people’s initiative."

He said that aside from the Supreme Court, senators can file special proceedings to the Comelec to tell the agency to stop its activities in relation to accepting signatures for people’s initiatives.

Former House Speaker and incumbent Davao del Norte first district Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez also bared his plan to challenge the people’s initiative before the Supreme Court, claiming that proponents are using financial aid from the government to encourage people to sign the petition for charter change.

In an online interview with reporters Thursday, Alvarez said he is gathering evidence that people in the first district of Davao del Norte received financial aid in exchange for signing the forms for people’s initiative.

He claimed that one of the allocations used for signature drive was the assistance to individuals in crisis situations (AICS) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Alvarez said he would wait for the Comelec to finish the verification of signatures for the people’s initiative before filing a case before the Supreme Court. He urged his colleagues to stand up to the leadership of the House of Representatives, which he claimed is behind the signature campaign.

Sought for the poll body’s reaction to Pimentel’s statement, Comelec spokesperson Rex Laudiangco said: “Kung kami po ay dadalin sa Korte Suprema… wina-welcome po namin ito.”

[Translation: If they will bring this issue to the Supreme Court, we will welcome it.]

During a briefing on Wednesday, Comelec Chairman George Garcia also said that everyone is welcome to question its guidelines and rules.

While there’s no case before the Supreme Court yet, Garcia said Comelec will continue receiving the signature forms.

CNN Philippines Correspondents Xianne Arcangel and Paige Javier contributed to this report.