Comelec: Only SC can stop acceptance of PI signatures

AMID calls for the poll body to reject signature sheets intended for the people’s initiative (PI) to amend the 1987 Constitution, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday said only the Supreme Court (SC) can prevent them from doing so.

Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco, in an interview, said the poll body is mandated to implement their own rules on people’s initiative except when prevented by the High Court.

“The only way is for a higher authority to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO). And the only one that can issue a TRO against the Comelec is the Supreme Court,” said Laudiangco.

He, however, expressed belief that a TRO is not yet warranted since they still do not have jurisdiction over the PI.

“The question there is: Is there a justiciable issue? Has the Comelec done anything? Did we have any pronouncements already? Do we have a ruling that needs to be questioned before the Supreme Court? There is none yet. In fact, we don’t have any jurisdiction yet,” he said.

On Monday, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal said the Comelec should refrain from accepting signature sheets in support of a PI to amend the 1987 Constitution since doing so give the public the “wrong impression” that an initiative to amend the Charter has already been properly or validly initiated.

Comelec chairman George Garcia has said that the poll body is merely implementing Resolution No. 10650, which provides the guidelines for people’s initiative activities.

Garcia said that the Commission will implement their resolution as long as it is not amended or declared null and void.

So far, Laudiangco said they have already received signature sheets in 862 cities and municipalities covering some 160 legislative districts.

President Marcos Jr. said it is up to the Comelec whether to accept or invalidate the signatures that have been submitted to local election offices amid reports that these were collected in exchange for cash and incentives.

“We just let the Comelec do their job and their work to validate the signature. And if there’s suspicion na may ganoon nga (signature buying) ay hindi talaga mabibilang ang mga signature na ‘yun (If there’s suspicion that it [signature buying]