Who May Bear Arms During the Election Period?

Republic of the Philippines
COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS
Manila

RESOLUTION No. 8714

RULES AND REGULATIONS ON THE: (1) BEARING, CARRYING OR TRANSPORTING OF FIREARMS OR OTHER DEADLY WEAPONS, AVAILMENT OR ENGAGEMENT OF THE SERVICES OF SECURITY PERSONNEL OR BODYGUARDS, DURING THE ELECTION PERIOD FOR THE MAY 10, 2010 NATIONAL AND LOCAL ELECTIONS

   
WHEREAS, Section 32 of Republic Act No. 7166 provides:

    “SEC. 32.  Who May Bear Firearms. – During the election period, no person shall bear, carry or transport firearms or other deadly weapons in public places, including any building, street, park, private vehicle or public conveyance, even if licensed to possess or carry the same, unless authorized in writing by the Commission.  The issuance of firearms licenses shall be suspended during the election period.

    “Only regular members of the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and other law enforcement agencies of the Government who are duly deputized in writing by the Commission for election duty may be authorized to carry and possess firearms during the election period; Provided, That, when in the possession of firearms, the deputized law enforcement officer must be: (a) in full uniform showing clearly and legibly his name, rank and serial number, which shall remain visible at all times, and (b) in the actual performance of his election duty in the specific area designated by the Commission.”

WHEREAS, Section 33 of the same Act provides:

    SEC. 33.  Security Personnel and Bodyguards. – During the election period, no candidate for public office, including incumbent public officers seeking election to any public office, shall employ, avail himself of or engage the services of security personnel or bodyguards, whether or not such bodyguards are regular members or officers of the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines or other law agency of the Government: Provided, That when circumstances warrant, including but not limited to threats to life and security of a candidate, he may be assigned by the Commission, upon due application, regular members of the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines or other law enforcement agency who shall provide him security for the duration of the election period.  The officers assigned for security duty to a candidate shall be subject to the same requirement as to wearing of uniforms prescribed in the immediately preceding section unless exempted in writing by the Commission.

    “If at any time during the election period, the ground for which the authority to engage the services of security personnel has been granted shall cease to exist or for any other valid cause, the Commission shall revoke the said authority.”

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the Commission to strictly enforce Sections 32 and 33 of Republic Act No. 7166;

NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to the powers vested in it by the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, the Omnibus Election Code (B.P. Blg. 881), Republic Acts No. 6646, 7166, 8189, 8436, 9189, 9369 and other election laws, the Commission RESOLVED, as it hereby RESOLVES, to promulgate the following rules and regulations to implement Sections 32 and 33 of Republic Act No. 7166 in connection with the conduct of the May 10, 2010 national and local elections:

SECTION 1.  General Guiding Principles –- During the election period: (a) no person shall bear, carry or transport firearms or other deadly weapons in public places including all public buildings, streets, parks, and private vehicles or public conveyances, even if licensed to possess or carry the same; and (b) no candidate for public office, including incumbent public officers seeking election to any public office, shall employ, avail himself of or engage the services of security personnel or bodyguards, whether or not such bodyguards are regular members or officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) or other law enforcement agency of the Government.

    The transport of firearms of those who are engaged in the manufacture, importation, exportation, purchase, sale of firearms, explosives and their spare parts or those involving the transportation of firearms, explosives and their spare parts, may, with prior notice to the Commission, be authorized by the Director General of the PNP provided that the firearms, explosives and their spare parts are immediately transported to the Firearms and Explosives Division, CSG, PNP.

SEC. 2.  Definition of Terms. –- As used in this Resolution:

(a)     Election Period refers to the election period prescribed in COMELEC Resolution No. 8646 dated 14 July 2009 which is from 10 January 2010 to 09 June 2010;

(b)    Firearm shall refer to the “firearm” as defined in existing laws, rules and regulations.  The term also includes airgun, airsoft guns, and their replica/imitation in whatever form that can cause an ordinary person to believe that they are real;

(c)    Dead weapon includes bladed instrument, hand grenades or other explosives, except pyrotechnics.

A bladed instrument is not covered by the prohibition when possession of the bladed instrument is necessary to the occupation of the possessor or when it is used as a tool for legitimate activity.

SEC. 3.  Suspension of Issuance of Firearms Licenses. –- The PNP is hereby directed to suspend the issuance of firearms licenses during the election period.

The processing and approval of new firearms license, including renewal of license, may continue on condition that the new license and firearm shall be kept in deposit with the Firearms and Explosives Division of the PNP until after the election period.

Firearms licenses issued in violation of this Section are null and void, without prejudice to the filing of the appropriate administrative and/or criminal charges against the holder or those responsible for the issuance of the license.

SEC. 4.  Who May Bear Firearms. –- Only the following persons who are in the regular plantilla of the PNP or AFP or other law enforcement agencies are authorized to bear, carry or transport firearms or other deadly weapons during the election period:

(a)     Regular member or officer of the PNP, the AFP and other law enforcement agencies of the Government, provided that when in the possession of firearm, he is:

(1) in the regular plantilla of the said agencies and is receiving regular compensation for the services rendered in said agencies; and

(2) in the agency-prescribed uniform showing clearly and legibly his name, rank and serial number or, in case rank and serial number are inapplicable, his agency-issued identification card showing clearly his name and position, which identification card shall remain visible at all times;

(3) duly licensed to possess firearm and to carry the same outside of residence by means of a valid mission order or letter order; and

(4) in the actual performance of official law enforcement duty, or in going to or returning from his residence/barracks or official station.

Other law enforcement agencies of the government shall enter to:

1. Guards of the National Bureau of Prisons, Provincial, and City Jails;
2. Members of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology;
3. Members of the Custom Enforcement and Security and Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service of the Bureau of Customs;
4. Port Police Department, Philippine Port Authority;
5. Philippine Economic Zone Authority Police Force;
6. Government guard forces;
7. Law Enforcement Agents and Investigation Agents of the Bureau of Immigration;
8. Members of the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) Police Force;
9. Members of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) Police Force;
10. Personnel of the Law Enforcement Service of the Land Transportation Office (LTO);
11. Members of the Philippine Cost Guard, Department of Transportation and Communication;
12. Members of the Cebu Port Authority (CPA) Police Force;
13. Agents of ISOG of the Witness Protection Program;
14. Members of the Videogram Regulatory Board performing law enforcement functions;
15. Members of the Security Investigation and Transport Department (STTD), Cash Department (CD), including members of the Office of Special Investigation (OSI), Branch Operations and Department of General Services of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas;
16. Personnel of the Office of the Sergeant-At-Arms (OSAA) of the Senate or the House of Representatives and the OSAA-certified designated senators/congressmen’s security escorts;
17. Postal Inspectors, Investigators, Intelligence Officers and Members of the Inspection Service of the Philippine Postal Corporation;
18. Election Officers, Provincial Election Supervisors, Regional Attorneys, Assistant Regional Election Directors, Regional Election Directors, Directors III and IV, Lawyers in the Main Office of the Commission on Elections and the Members of the Commission;
19. Members of the Law Enforcement Section of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources;
20. Members of the Tourist Security Division of the Department of Tourism;
21. Personnel of the Intelligence Division of the Central Management Information Office, Department of Finance;
22. Personnel of the Inspection and Monitoring Service of the National Police Commission;
23. Personnel of the Special Action and Investigation Division, Forest Officers defined under PD 705 and Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) DAO No. 1997-32, Forest/Park Rangers, Wildlife Officers and all forest protection and law enforcement officers of the DENR;
24. Personnel of the Intelligence and Security, Office of the Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs;
25. Personnel of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency;
26. Personnel of the Philippine Center for Transnational Crime (PCTC);
27. Personnel of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency;
28. Personnel of the National Bureau of Investigation;
29. Personnel of the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG); and
30. Field officers of the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority, Department of Agriculture.

(b)    Member of privately owned or operated security, investigative, protective or intelligence agencies duly authorized by the PNP, provided that when in the possession of firearm, he is:

(1) in the agency-prescribed uniform with his agency-issued identification card prominently displayed and visible at all times, showing clearly his name and position; and
(2) in the actual performance of duty at his specified place/area of duty.

The heads of other law enforcement agencies and Protective Agents of Private Detective Agencies enumerated above shall, not later than 29 December 2009, submit a colored 4” x 5” picture, with description, of the authorized uniform of the office, to the Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Personnel (CBFSP) herein established.

SEC. 5.  Submission of Certified List of Names of AFP, PNP and Other Law Enforcement Personnel With Description of Firearms (Kind, Caliber, Make and Serial No., License No./Certificate of Registration, and Permit to Carry No.) –- Heads of offices of agencies mentioned above shall, not later than 29 December 2009, submit to the CBFSP, the list of the names of the personnel of the agency, together with a description of their firearms, who are authorized to bear, carry or transport firearms under this Resolution.  The list shall bear a certification that the persons named therein are in the regular plantilla of the Agency performing law enforcement functions and are receiving regular compensation for the services rendered in the said agency and that the firearms are duly registered firearms.

Personnel of agencies mentioned in Section 4 hereof shall be considered authorized to bear, carry or transport firearms only upon receipt by the CBFSP of the certified list referred to in this Section.

SEC. 6.  Who may be assigned security personnel or bodyguards. –- When circumstances warrant, including but not limited to threats to life and security, a candidate to public office, including incumbent public officer, and private individual, may, upon application, be assigned regular members of the PNP or the AFP or the National Bureau of Investigation, and as augmentation, duly licensed/authorized Protective Agents of Private Detective Agencies, to provide security, for the duration of the election period.

All existing authority granting security personnel or bodyguards are hereby revoked at the start of the election period.  The affected officials or individuals who want to continue to avail of or engage the services of security personnel or bodyguard, shall apply for the employment, availment or engagement of security personnel or bodyguard as provided in Section 7 hereof.

SEC. 7.  Procedure In Applying for Employment, Availment or Engagement of Security Personnel and Bodyguard. – Any candidate for public office, including incumbent public officer seeking election to any public office, or any public officer or private individual, who wants to employ, avail of or engage the services of security personnel or bodyguard, shall file a written application under oath, in three (3) copies, stating his full name, the public office he seeks to be elected, his residence and the reasons or circumstances for the application, in accordance with the following procedures:

A filing fee of PhP5,000.00 shall be charged for each application.

(a)     Candidates for Member, House of Representatives and local elective positions, as well as public officers or private individuals, shall file their applications with the Regional Joint Security Control Desks (R-JSCD) in their respective regions, to be chaired by the COMELEC Regional Election Director.

Candidates for national elective positions shall file their applications with the CBFSP, at the Main Office of the Commission on Elections, Intramuros, Manila.

(b)    Within five (5) days from receipt of the application, the JSCD shall refer the application with threat assessment and recommendations to the CBFSP.

In the case of applications filed with the CBFSP, the CBFSP shall refer the matter to the AFP and PNP which shall immediately conduct a threat or security assessment.  Within five (5) days from referral, the AFP and PNP shall submit to the CBFSP its assessment with a recommendation on whether to grant or not to grant the request.

(c)    Based on the assessment and recommendation submitted to it, the CBFSP shall grant or deny the request or may request for a reassessment.

If the decision is to grant the request, the CBFSP may authorize the Director General of the PNP or the Chief of Staff of the AFP or the Director of the National Bureau of Investigation to assign not more than two (2) of its regular members as security personnel.

Upon request and when the threat assessment warrants, the CBFSP may authorize the assignment of additional two (2) Protective Agents as close-in security.

In exceptionally meritorious circumstances, candidates for national elective positions may request for additional security personnel subject to such conditions and restrictions that the CBFSP may impose.

(d)    The authority shall be in writing and in three (3) copies.  The original shall be given to the office which shall provide the security personnel.  The second shall be retained by the CBFSP.  The third shall be given to the applicant.

(e)    In case of disapproval of the request, the CBFSP shall notify the applicant.  The notice shall be in writing.

As far as practicable, the security personnel to be assigned to candidates in the same city, municipality, district, province, shall come from the same unit or office.

(f)    The officers assigned for security duty to a candidate shall be subject to the same requirements as to the wearing of uniforms and the other conditions imposed in Section 4 (a) hereof.

(g)    If at any time the ground for which the authority to engage the services of security personnel ceases to exist, or for any valid cause, the CBFSP shall revoke the authority granted.

SEC. 8.  Enforcement – Any person who, not wearing the authorized uniform mentioned herein, bears, carries or transports firearm or other deadly weapon, shall be presumed unauthorized to carry firearms and subject to arrest.

SEC. 9.  Establishment and Composition of the CBFSP. – To ensure the attainment of the objective of the ban on firearms and security personnel, the CBFSP is hereby established, with Commissioner Lucenito N. Tagle as Chairman, and one (1) star rank officer or equivalent, from the AFP and PNP, as members.  The CBFSP shall be assisted by a Secretariat composed of representatives from the Commission, the AFP and the PNP.  The Secretariat shall be headed by a senior lawyer from the Law Department of the Commission.

The CBFSP shall be responsible for the implementation of the ban on the bearing, carrying or transporting of firearms and the employment, availment or engagement of security personnel.

SEC. 10.  Reporting Requirements. --  The CBFSP submit to the Commission a monthly report on the implementation of this Resolution, which shall include the following:

(a)    Current status of the enforcement (i.e. number of arrests, names of persons involved, number of confiscated firearms, categorized into licensed or unlicensed) of the ban on firearms and security personnel; and

(b)    The peace and order situation in various parts of the country, including insurgency, the existence and size of private armies, the intensity of political rivalries and other circumstances, that may affect the conduct of the elections.

The first monthly report shall be submitted to the Commission on the 1st Monday of February 2010 and every 1st Monday of the succeeding months thereafter and a final report on 30 June 2010.

SEC. 11.  Effectivity and Dissemination. --  This Resolution shall take effect on the seventh (7th) day after its publication in two (2) daily newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines.

The Education and Information Department shall cause the publication of this Resolution and shall furnish copies thereof to all Regional Election Directors, Provincial Election Supervisors, Election Officers, the PNP, the AFP and all other law enforcement agencies.

SO ORDERED.

    (Sgd)  JOSE A.R. MELO

           Chairman

         
(Sgd) RENE V. SARMIENTO                            (Sgd)  NICODEMO T. FERRER
                Commissioner                                                          Commissioner
     
(Sgd) LUCENITO N. TAGLE
Commissioner                                                                (Sgd)  ARMANDO C. VELASCO
                                                                                                        Commissioner
     
(Sgd) ELIAS R. YUSOPH
Commissioner                                                               (Sgd) GREGORIO Y. LARRAZABAL
                                                                                                       Commissioner  

VOTER REGISTRATION in the ARMM for the August 8 ARMM Elections - Part 6

SEC. 22. Approval or disapproval of applications. - The ERB of the city/municipality shall hear the applications and, by majority vote, approve or disapprove the same in accordance with the schedule provided in Section 2 hereof.  Should one day be insufficient for the proceeding of all accepted applications, the ERB shall meet daily until all applications shall have been processed, but not beyond three (3) days, and subject to the following guidelines:

Number of Applications	Number of day(s) ERB Hearing
Less 1,000	One (1)
1,000 up to 2,000	Two (2)
Above 2,000	Three (3)

If the ERB disapproves the application, the applicant shall be furnished with a certificate of disapproval stating the ground(s) therefor.

After meeting, the ERB shall prepare in Six (6) copies the Minutes of the Proceedings which include, among others, the following:

1. Number of all applicants submitted to the Board for consideration;
2. List of applicants whose application for registration/transfer (within and from outside)/deactivation/correction of entries/ change of name/reactivation/inclusion/reinstatement of record, was approved or disapproved by the Board indicating the application number opposite their names.

The EO concerned shall, within five (5) days from the last day of hearing of the ERB, distribute copies of the Minutes to the following:

1. Two (2) copies to the Office of the Provincial Election Supervisor (OPES), which shall retain one copy and send the other copy to the Registration Division, EBAD;
2. One (1) copy each to the representatives of the Dominant Majority Party and the Dominant Minority Party;
3. One (1) copy shall be posted in the Bulletin Board of his Office; and
4. Retain copy for his file

Failure to comply with the requirements of the two (2) preceding paragraphs shall be ground for disciplinary action and withholding of benefits granted by the Commission.

SEC. 23. Publication of Action on Application. – Immediately within five (5) days from approval or disapproval of applications, the ERB shall post notices in the bulletin boards of the municipal/city hall and in the office of the EO, stating the names and addresses of the applicants, the dates of the applications and the actions taken thereon.  The EO shall serve a copy of the notice either personally or by registered mail or special delivery, to the local heads or representatives of registered political parties in the city/ municipality.

SEC. 24. Petition for Inclusion of Voters in the List. – Any person whose application for registration has been disapproved by the ERB or whose name has been stricken out from the list may file with the court a petition to include his name in the permanent list of voters in his precinct at any time but not later than April 29, 2011. It shall be supported by a certificate of disapproval of his application and proof of service of notice of his petition upon the ERB. The petition shall be decided within fifteen (15) days after its filing.

If the decision is for the inclusion of the voters’ name in the permanent list of voters, the ERB shall place the application for registration previously disapproved in the corresponding book of voters and indicate in the application for registration the date of the order of inclusion and the court which issued the same.

SEC. 25. Petition for Exclusion of Voters from the List. – Any registered voter, representative of a political party or the EO, may file with the court a sworn petition for the exclusion of a voter from the permanent list of voters giving the name, address and the precinct of the challenged voter at any time but not later than May 4, 2011.  The petition shall be accompanied by proof of notice to the ERB and to the challenged voter and shall be decided within ten (10) days from its filing.

If the decision is for the exclusion of the voter’s name from the list, the ERB shall upon receipt of the final decision and remove the voter’s registration record from the corresponding book of voters, enter the order of exclusion therein and place the record in the inactive file.

SEC. 26. Disposition of applications for registration, transfer of registration records, reactivation, inclusion/reinstatement or record, change of name, correction of entry/entries and the compact discs (VRS). -

a) On a daily basis, the EO shall:

1.   Gather all accomplished application forms and compact discs (CDs) from the VRM Operator.

2.   Compile all accomplished forms per barangay and by precinct, arrange the application forms alphabetically by surname;

3.   Generate a list of those who applied for registration or transfer of registration for the day, and other applications using the VRS Program. Said list shall be posted in the bulletin board of the city/municipality and in the Office of the Election Officer.

4.   Prepare a report regarding the occurrence of any untoward incident during the day and action taken thereon. For this purpose, each EO shall indicate in his journal any important occurrence and incident during the registration days; and

5.   Store the application forms, CDs, other forms and supplies in a safe and secure place. CDs that are not yet full or not have been finalized shall be used in the succeeding registration day.

b) At the end of the registration period, the EO shall:

1.   Generate Statistical Report on the number of applicants per application type.

2.   Submit to the ERB all applications received including the list of applicants and Statistical Report for action.

3.   Segregate all approved applications as follows:

a.   The first copy shall remain with the Election Officer;

b.   The second copy together with the Minutes of the Proceedings to the OPES; and

c.   The third copy to the National Central File Division.

All disapproved applications shall remain in the custody of the Election Officer.

4.   Finalize CD and back-up file document.mdb or comelec.(myi, myd and frm). The back-up of the document.mdb or comelec.(myi, myd and frm) shall contain only records approved by the ERB.

5.   Execute the CONSOLIDATION function.

6.   Extract records of all approved applications filed during the registration period.

7.   Transmit electronically the extracted records to ITD within five (5) days after the ERB hearing.

SEC. 27. Role of the Regional and Assistant Regional Election Director and Provincial Election Supervisor. – The RED, ARED and PES shall ensure compliance of the EO’s timely submission of all the required reports and shall be held directly responsible for non-compliance within the period herein provided.

SEC. 28. Off-site Verification Teams. - The Election and Barangay Affairs Department and Information Technology Department shall deploy personnel in the Five (5) provinces of ARMM, from April 14 to 16, 2011, who shall be responsible for the checking and gathering of the following reports:

1. Consolidated Quarterly Progress Report;
2. Project of Precincts for the August 8, 2011 ARMM Elections;
3. List of applicants whose applications were approved or disapproved by the ERB, indicating the application number opposite their names;
4. Report on the number of deleted double/multiple registrants based on AFIS results; and
5. SNPDAT or soft copy of the voters’ database.

SEC. 29. Applicability of other resolutions of the Commission. – The provisions of Res. No. 2904 (Rules and Regulations Governing the General Registration of Voters and the System of Continuing Registration of Voters) and other Resolutions of the Commission insofar as applicable and when not inconsistent herewith, shall apply in the registration of voters.

SEC. 30. Effectivity. – This Resolution shall take effect seven (7) days after its publication. The Education and Information Department (EID) is hereby directed to cause the widest dissemination of this Resolution and its publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines and two (2) local newspapers of circulation within the ARMM area.

Let the Office of the Executive Director implement this Resolution.

SO ORDERED.

(Sgd.) SIXTO S. BRILLANTES, JR. Chairman
(Sgd.) RENE V. SARMIENTO Commissioner	(Sgd.) LUCENITO N. TAGLE Commissioner
(Sgd.) ARMANDO C. VELASCO Commissioner	(Sgd.) ELIAS R. YUSOPH Commissioner

May the Commission on Elections Postpone or Continue Elections?

Does the Commission on Elections have the power to postpone or continue elections?

This question is raised after news leaked out the other day saying that the poll chief airs concern over the possible delay in the delivery and configuration of the of Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS), the machine that will count the ballot at the precinct level.

"I want to be sure that the machines will come on time.  Until I see it, I’m worried," Comelec chair Jose Melo told reporters in an interview.

The Commission on Elections expects the delivery of the first batch of 42, 200 PCOS machines in December, while the remaining 40,000 is to arrive in January.  

Although the poll officials say the preparations for the May 10, 2010 National and Local Elections are going smoothly, they have to be ready for major glitches coming up along the way.  

First, if the scheduled delivery of the PCOS machines pushes through smoothly, these machines have yet to undergo battery of tests before being configured for their respective precinct assignments.

"We’re still not out of the woods.  If we haven’t tested all the machines, what do we do?" Chairman Melo said, adding that if worse comes to worst, they would have to conduct a partial manual and partial automated elections.

Another development is now in the offing.  

A group called the Concerned Citizens' Movement is asking the High Court to nullify the P7.2 billion poll automation contract due to two "supervening events" after the Supreme Court upheld the validity of the deal.

In a 25-page supplemental motion filed by lawyer Harry Roque, the movement said the Smartmatic-Total Information Management (TIM) group violated the terms of its contract with the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

The petition said that Smartmatic-TIM had failed to come up with telecommunications facilities and charged that the consortium had subcontracted the manufacture of its counting machines.

While Smartmatic-TIM is supposed to ensure 100-percent coverage for the immediate transmission of election results from precincts nationwide, the petition said that a private study of the contract showed that it did not have the facilities to do this.

While the merits of case will still have to be determined by the High Tribunal, this query is raised:  "May the COMELEC postpone or continue elections?"

The answer is in the affirmative.  

As a matter of fact, in the case of Sanchez vs. Commission on Elections, (114 SCRA 454), the Supreme Court ruled that the Commission on Elections is authorized to declare a failure of election because of the terrorism that attended the counting of the votes and the preparation of the election returns.

Likewise, Section 5 of B.P. Blg. 881 provides that:  

"When for any serious cause such as violence, terrorism, loss or destruction of election paraphernalia or records, force majeure, and other analogous cases of such a nature that the holding of a free, orderly and honest election should become impossible in any political subdivision, the Commission, motu proprio or upon a verified petition by any interested party, and after due notice and hearing, whereby all interested parties are afforded equal opportunity to be heard, shall postpone the election therein to a date which should be reasonably close to the date of the election not held, suspended or which resulted in a failure to elect, but not later than thirty days after cessation of the cause for such postponement or suspension of the election or failure to elect."

Ten more days before the deadline to register as a voter

There are barely ten (10) days to go before the deadline to register as a voter.  If you wish to vote on May 10, 2010 National and Local Elections, you better get registered NOW!!

With ten days left before the October 31, 2009 deadline, the Commission on Elections has reiterated its call for qualified voters nationwide to register.

“We are aware that a lot of Filipinos choose to register at the last minute. So in order to accommodate them and also to address the growing crowds at our field offices as we near the registration deadline, the COMELEC en banc has ordered the extension of office hours in all registration centers nationwide. Registration is also extended until Sundays in calamity areas of Luzon,” said COMELEC spokesman James Jimenez.

The poll body spokesman said starting October 22, 2009 until October 30, 2009, registration hours in COMELEC field offices nationwide will now be until 9:00 PM. On October 31, the last day of registration, COMELEC offices will be open until midnight, he said.

Jimenez also added that the COMELEC has allowed voters registration on Sundays (October 18 and 25) but only in calamity stricken areas of Luzon such as Regions I, II, III, IV-A, V, CAR, and NCR.

Meanwhile, Jimenez said voters’ registration in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will run daily (Mondays to Sundays) from October 19, 2009 until October 31, 2009 according to COMELEC Minute Resolution No. 09-0661.

Jimenez however noted that voters’ validation will be suspended to give way for new registrants.

Gov't and Private Employees May Register As Voters During Working Hours

The Commission on Elections through its website has announced that it has asked the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to issue guidelines allowing private and public employees to register as voters even on weekdays and that their temporary absence from their work be considered as official time.

The COMELEC en banc, through Resolution No. 8669, promulgated September 15, 2009, noted that the DOLE is “bestowed with powers and functions for the full protection to labor, promotion of their welfare, and supervision over the relationship between employers and employees.”

Thus the COMELEC deemed it necessary to “request the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to issue the appropriate circular/guidelines urging private employers to allow their employees to file their applications for registration, transfer/reactivation, changes/correction/inclusions/reinstatement of entries of registration records even during weekdays, and to consider their temporary absence from work on official time.”

Meanwhile, the COMELEC in Resolution 8668, said that “government employees who as first time voters, or who desire to transfer/reactivate/correct/change/reinstate their registration records, deserve broader opportunities to exercise their right to suffrage through the filing of their applications for registration/transfer/reactivation/correction/change/reinstatement of registration records during weekdays.”

The poll body also made a similar request to the Civil Service Commission (CSC) to issue the appropriate order for civil servants.

COMELEC spokesman James Jimenez, for his part, said this move from the poll body “shows the COMELEC’s resolve to empower broadest number of workers, both in the private and in the public sector, by making sure that they will be able to cast their votes in the 2010 elections.” 

COMELEC Resolution No. 8668

Republic of the Philippines

COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS

Manila

Resolution No. 8668

(September 15, 2009)

IN THE MATTER OF REQUESTING THE CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION (CSC) TO ISSUE AN ORDER /CIRCULAR ALLOWING GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES TO GO ON OFFICIAL TIME WHEN FILING APPLICATIONS FOR VOTER'S REGISTRATION

WHEREAS, Sec. 2(1), Art. IX-C of the 1987 Constitution empowers the Commission on Elections to "enforce and administer all laws and regulations relative to the conduct of an election, plebiscite, initiative, referendum, and recall";

WHEREAS, pursuant to R.A. 8189, otherwise known as the Continuing Voter's Registration Act of 1996, Comelec Resolution No. 8514 promulgated on November 12, 2008, as amended by Resolution No. 8585 promulgated on February 12, 2009, fixed the dates for the filing of applications for registration, transfer of registration records, reactivation, changes/ correction/ inclusions/ reinstatement of entries in the registration records from December 2, 2008 up to October 31;

WHEREAS, the Civil Service Commission, as the central personnel and administrative agency of the government is mandated under the constitution, to adopt measures to promote morale, efficiency, integrity, responsiveness, progressiveness, and courtesy in the civil service;

WHEREAS, government employees who as first time voters, or who desire to transfer/reactivate/correct/change/reinstate their registration records, deserve broader opportunities to exercise their 'right of suffrage through the filing, of their applications for registration/ transfer/reactivation/correction/ change/ reinstatement of registration records during working days;

WHEREAS, it is imperative to request the Civil Service Commission to issue guidelines/implementing rules allowing government employees to file applications for of their voter's registration records, at the Office of the Election Officer, even during weekdays, and that their temporary absence from their work stations be considered on official time;

NOW THEREFORE, the Commission RESOLVED, as it hereby RESOLVES, to request the Civil Service Commission to issue the appropriate order/circular/guidelines that would consider on official time the filing by government employees of their applications for registration, transfer of registration records, reactivation and changes/correction/inclusions/reinstatement of entries in their registration records, during working hours.

Let the Executive Director implement this Resolution.

SO ORDERED.

JOSE A. R. MELO Chairman
RENE V. SARMIENTO Commissioner	NICODEMO T. FERRER Commissioner
LUCENITO N. TAGLE Commissioner	ARMANDO C. VELASCO Commissioner
ELIAS T. YUSOPH Commissioner