SPECIALIZED CARE. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (2nd from right) attends the official launch of the Lung Transplant Program of the Lung Center of the Philippines and National Kidney and Transplant Institute in Quezon City on Tuesday (Jan. 23, 2024). In an interview on the sidelines of the event, Marcos said the Commission on Elections is free to look into allegations of signature-buying for People’s Initiative that some sectors want to use to amend the constitution. (Photo courtesy of Radyo Pilipinas)
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said it is the job of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to look into reports of alleged buying out of signatures for a People’s Initiative (PI) for charter change.
Marcos said he would not meddle in Comelec’s authority to validate signatures.
“And if there’s a suspicion na may ganoon nga, hindi talaga mabibilang ‘yung signatures na ‘yun (that it really happened, then the signatures cannot be counted),” Marcos said in an interview at the Lung Center of the Philippines in Quezon City, where he graced the official launch of the Lung Transplant Program joint with the National Kidney and Transplant Institute.
Marcos said the Comelec has the final say.
“Kapag binayaran ‘yung signature, hindi tatanggapin ng Comelec ‘yun. Walang mangyayari dun. Alam ko, wala namang ganun. Ang sinasabi, hindi bayaran ng cash kundi nangangako ng kung anu-anong benefits (When the signature is paid for, the Comelec will not accept it. Nothing will happen there. What I know is there was nothing like that. What is being said is, there was no cash but there were promises of benefits),” he said.
Marcos said the lawmakers he talked to denied the supposed bribery attempts.
“Tinitignan namin, sabi ko, tinanong ko sa ating legislature, ‘Totoo ba iyan?’ Sabi, ‘Hindi naman nagbago mga release namin, constant pa rin’ (We are looking at it, I said, I asked our legislature, 'Is that true?' They said, 'Our releases haven't changed, they are still constant’),” Marcos said.
In a radio interview on Tuesday, Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia said around 900 cities and municipalities have so far submitted signature pages.
Senate Majority Joel Villanueva on Monday said a PI is legal, unless there is a form of abuse or bribery in pushing for it.
Senator Imee Marcos, who chairs the Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation, filed Senate Resolution 902 seeking to investigate, in aid of legislation, the alleged payoffs and misrepresentations in the signature campaigns.
Acceptance of signatures continues sans TRO
Meanwhile, the Comelec said only the Supreme Court can halt the acceptance of signature sheets.
Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco, in an interview on Tuesday, said they will implement their rules on the matter.
"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," he said.
For now, a TRO is out of the question as they do not have jurisdiction yet 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," Laudiangco added.
On Monday, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal said the Comelec should stop accepting signature sheets, which he said are "waste of time and paper" as these signatures have "no evidentiary value." (with a report from Ferdinand Patinio/PNA)
