20 Marso 2024, Miyerkules
supports Fire Prevention Month
deepest sympathy to family of the late Danilo Halili
supports Women Month March
joins Christian nations in observance of Lenten season
welcomes Bagong Bayani Monico Lopez Caranay
Comelec cannot conduct Cha-cha plebiscite in 2024 – poll chief
By J.Lo
“In event that Congress will say plebiscite and 2025 elections should be separate, we cannot conduct plebiscite in 2024, definitely,” Commission on Elections Comelec Chairman George Garcia said Comelec cannot conduct plebiscite for amendment of 1987 Constitution this year.
Comelec would abide by whatever Congress prescribes, Garcia told Senate committee on electoral reforms and people’s participation chaired by Sen. Imee Marcos at hearing.
Marcos asked Garcia about the apparently flip-flopping pronouncement on simultaneously conducting the plebiscite for Charter change (Cha-cha) and midterm elections, which is slated for May 12, 2025.
Garcia said when he was quoted about holding a plebiscite, it was his “personal opinion.”
He added that as far as he is concerned, he “honestly believes” that plebiscite and midterm elections “should be done separately,” Garcia said.
“However, I likewise corrected myself and said that it’s up to Congress…we will definitely follow what Congress will say,” he said.
He added if Congress would say Comelec would have to conduct plebiscite and midterm elections simultaneously, poll body is committed to do it.
In holding plebiscite and midterm elections simultaneously, Comelec chief said country could save P13 billion.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III “filed Senate Bill 2595, An Act Providing for a System of People’s Initiative and Referendum, since spirit of law providing plebiscite to ratify amendment to Constitution must be called for that purpose.”
“With all due respect, my apology, it’s not commission flip-flopped; it’s the chair, (who) says, my initial impression was really plebiscite should be done separately from midterm elections because people should be made aware of what is being changed…however it’s up to Congress…if Congress says simultaneous, then Comelec will implement,” Garcia said.
Under proposed measure, Pimentel asserted right of the people to directly amend Constitution could not be exercised unless Congress provides for its implementation through pertinent law.
“Constitution speaks of power of people to propose amendments to Constitution directly through system of initiative, upon petition of at least 12 percent of total number of registered voters, of which every legislative district must be represented by at least three percent of total number of registered voters therein… provision, however, is not self-executory,” he said.
He added that Congress passed Republic Act (RA) 6735, or as Initiative and Referendum Act on Aug. 4, 1989, but Supreme Court (SC) ruled law shall only pertain to initiative and referendum on national and local laws, ordinances and resolutions.
Pimentel noted that the SC found that RA 6735 is inadequate to cover the system of initiative on amendments to the Constitution and fails to provide sufficient standards for subordinate legislation on the part of the Comelec.
“As a measure to not only fill in the gaps found in RA 6735, but to also update the system of the people’s initiative and referendum to reflect present-day political conditions, it is proper that this bill be introduced as new measure, rather than amendment to existing law,” he said.
He added that proposed measure introduces penal provisions against commission of prohibited acts connected to conduct of initiative and referendum.
“Making reference to punishable acts of Omnibus Election Code and other election laws, this measure ensures sanctity of direct democracy just as our election laws ensure sanctity of ballot,” he said.
Overarching message officials and members of House of Representatives as they cautioned their counterparts in Senate as regards economic Charter change, whose passage is moving much slower in Upper Chamber compared to that in House.
“I really hope and I have faith in Senate , they are independent institution… but I really hope that this is not dribble-dribble politics… at the very least, Filipino voters deserve to know how our senators stand,” Lanao del Norte 1st District Rep. Mohamad Khalid Dimaporo told reporters at briefing.
Dimaporo, chairs House committee on Muslim affairs, laid out timeline by which Senate’s Resolution of Both Houses 6, along with House’s RBH 7, should be adopted at soonest time possible, lest these be overtaken by expected turn of events this year.
“We hope it’s not busy-busy kami, we need to know where Sen. Bato dela Rosa stands when it comes to issue of opening up, how RBH 6 will negatively affect our nationalist ideals,” he said.
The senior administration lawmaker was referring to President Marcos’ third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 22, where hearings about proposed 2025 national budget and the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) by October for next year’s midterm elections will commence shortly after.
“Come October, we’ll be filing for our COCs, so we really only have until SONA to get all of these done as legislators…after SONA, circus is in town again and we will be campaigning… urgency is there…we only have one month of work to do,” Dimaporo said.
House Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo 1st District Rep. Janette Garin also expressed her apprehensions, hoping senators will still find time to deliberate and approve RBH 6.
Garin said people’s initiative might be better option if Senate fails to approve economic Cha-cha.
ISKUP! 