Signature drive for people’s initiative to continue – PIRMA

MANILA, Philippines —  The signature drive for a people’s initiative will continue despite the ongoing investigation being conducted by the Senate, according to the lead convenor of the People’s Initiative for Reform, Modernization and Action.

PIRMA’s Noel Oñate said in a radio interview that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) only suspended accepting the gathered signatures.

“Nobody can stop the people’s initiative as this is part of the rights of every citizen. This cannot be stopped by the Comelec, by the Supreme Court, by the Senate or Congress as it is a fundamental right of the people if they want to continue the signature campaign,” Oñate said.

He added that the signatures already submitted to the Comelec would remain with the poll body for safekeeping, despite a call by Comelec Chairman George Garcia for the sheets to be retrieved.

Oñate claimed PIRMA reached the required 12 percent of the total population under the people’s initiative, although “some (congressional) districts have yet to submit the required signatures.”

He also denied reports that some of those who signed already withdrew their signatures.

At the same time, Oñate said that the Senate cannot compel him to disclose the donors of the signature drive, saying that the privacy of these individuals is protected under the Data Privacy Act.

“Many of those who donated want their identities to be anonymous. All the candidates, including senators, receive donations and these donors do not want to mention their names. That’s natural,” he added.

Sen. Imee Marcos urged the Comelec to trash signatures collected by PIRMA, which she described as an illegal entity.

During the Kapihan sa Maynila forum, Marcos said she is willing to author and even sponsor Comelec’s request to legislate a law to clean up the voters’ registry.

Marcos noted that she has proof of a very organized gathering of signatures for the people’s initiative.

“There were pieces of evidence, coupon distributed, very organized. Others were given food packs,” Marcos said.

She said Comelec Chairman George Garcia already stopped the verification of submitted signatures.

“But the question remains that millions of signatures, with the