Comelec suspends all proceedings on people's initiative

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has suspended all the proceedings related to the people’s initiative seeking to amend the 1987 Constitution.

At a news conference Monday, Comelec chairperson George Garcia announced that the Comelec en banc unanimously voted for the suspension of Comelec Resolution No. 10650 that covers the guidelines for the people’s initiative.

The “indefinite” suspension includes the acceptance of signature sheets by the local Comelec offices pending the review and revision of the said guidelines.

“We honestly believe, base sa aming initial assessment, kailangan naming i-review, i-enhance, dagdagan ‘yung aming existing IRR o implementing rules and regulations concerning the people’s initiative dahil sa ating palagay, may mga bagay doon na kulang at wala doon sa ating guidelines,” Garcia said.

[We honestly believe, based on our initial assessment, that we need to review, enhance, and add something to our existing IRR concerning the people's initiative because in our opinion, the guidelines are lacking.]

“Kailangan po ito para maiwasan ang problema, kaguluhan, at hindi pagkakaunawaan doon sa interpretasyon ng probisyon ng ating mga rules,” Garcia said. 

[This is necessary to avoid problems, chaos and misunderstanding over the interpretation of a provision in our rules.]

The Comelec has so far received signature forms for the people's initiative from a total of 1,072 municipalities and cities as of January 26, 2024.

Garcia reiterated that the submitted signature sheets were not yet verified by the Comelec as the required number of signatures is not yet met, and there is no formal petition yet for the people’s initiative.

He also said that it is better to revise the guidelines now before it gets questioned in the Supreme Court. The timeline for the said review was, however, not specified by the poll body.

“Sa aming palagay, sana naman ‘wag kaming obligahin kung gaano kahaba o kaiksi ‘yung panahon na kakailanganin namin para ma-review namin ang rules. Sinabi rin naman ng Korte Suprema sa naging desisyon niya… na dapat ang people’s initiative ay isang kapangyarihan ng mamamayan at dahil dito, dapat siguraduhin natin that the people will able to exercise really this right under the constitution,” Garcia said.

[We hope that we will not be obliged as to how long or short we should review the rules. The Supreme Court also said in its decision that the people's initiative should be a power of the people and because of this, we must ensure that the people will be able to really exercise this right under the Constitution.]

President Ferdinand '“Bongbong” Marcos Jr. when asked for his thoughts on the people’s initiative, said that, “Let Comelec do their job.”

In December 2023, Speaker Martin Romualdez said that the House of Representatives was keen on launching a people’s referendum to determine how the House and the Senate should vote on proposals amending the 1987 Constitution. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News