The Commission on Election (Comelec) has received papers containing signatures for the campaign to amend the Philippine 1987 Constitution through a People's Initiative, its spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco confirmed on Wednesday, January 17.
In a statement obtained by RH29 Boy Gonzales, Laudiangco said the signature papers came along with a statement enumerating the proposed reforms in the Constitution.
"Just [s]ignature [p]ages po Sir[,] no petition pa po. The signature page po made mention of Article XVII of the 1987 Constitution and a statement on the proposed amendment thereto po Sir," the Comelec spokesperson said.
BREAKING: Initial na kopya ng signature pages para sa Charter Change sa pamamagitan ng People's Initiative, natanggap na ng COMELEC | RH29 @boy_gonzales #Breaktime#SamaSamaTayoPilipino
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) January 17, 2024
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According to Gonzales's report during DZRH Breaktime, the signed papers came from more than 400 areas across the country, including Southern Leyte, Samar, Agusan del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, and the third district of Manila.
No petitions were filed yet before the poll body to formally ask for charter change (cha-cha).
Officers of Comelec's Offices of the Election received the pile of signature papers as seen in the photos forwarded by Laudiangco.
Republic Act Act No. 6735 or an An Act Providing for a System of Initiative and Referendum and Appropriating Funds stated that the referendum or initiative must be signed by 12 percent of the registered voters and with every legislative district represented by at least three percent of the voters' signatures.
Earlier this month, a signature campaign seeking for cha-cha surfaced.
However, Albay 1st District Rep. Edcel Lagman raised concerns of bribery schemes in the signature campaign, saying that municipal mayors in their province were funded to pay their constituents money for the signatures.
Albay municipal chiefs has debunked the accusation.
Senator Imee Marcos told DZRH in an interview that she received a text message alleging that P20 million was offered to every district congressmen and major city mayors in exchange for 20,000 signatures.
A paid television commercial campaigning for charter change was also aired during the second week of the month.
