COMELEC sets early voter's registration for 2013 polls

MANILA CITY, METRO MANILA — Starting May 3, new and eligible voters for the upcoming 2013 elections can start filing their applications, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said.

“We are urging all eligible first-time voters who will turn at least 18 years old on May 2013 to file their voter's registration this early.  Let us avoid last-minute registrations so we can take part in electing our nation's leaders,” said Comelec spokesman James Jimenez.

Deadline of registration is October 31, 2012 but the Comelec is encouraging early registration so it can prepare better for the conduct of automated polls with the use of special ballots, such as those used in the May 2010 national elections, he added.

Aside from first-time voters, persons who want to transfer registration records to a new residence; change, update or correct entries such as those for newly-wed women who changed surnames; and voters whose records were deactivated for failure to vote in the past two elections can also file their applications within the registration period.

All voter applications must be personally filed at the office of the election officer in the municipal or city office where the applicant resides and wishes to vote.

Voters no longer need to bring photographs because his or her biometrics records composed of a digital photograph, fingerprints, and signature will be entered in data capturing machines during the filing of registration.

The biometrics registration is important to purge the voter's list of duplicate registration records and to update records of voters who were unable to enroll their biometrics information with Comelec, according to Resolution No. 9149 promulgated on February 22.

Applications will be received from Monday to Saturday, inclusive of holidays during regular office hours from 8am to 5pm.  There will be no registration on December 22 to January 2 for the Christmas break.

Schedules for satellite registration in highly-populated areas will be announced after coordination with Comelec municipal and town offices.

Applicants must bring any valid school or government ID to register. Community tax certificates (Cedula) and certifications from the barangay will not be honored as valid identification documents.

For inquiries, contact the Comelec education and information department at (02) 525-9294. - By: Anna Valmero

SC orders Palace, COMELEC, Congress to answer ARMM petitions

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday ordered the executive and legislative branches to answer petitions opposing the proposal to postpone the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) set in August this year to 2013.

In a two-page resolution, the SC gave the Palace, Commission on Elections (Comelec), Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. to submit their respective comments to the petitions of groups led by Datu Michael Kida of the Maguindanao Federation of Autonomous Irrigators Association and lawyer Alex Macalawi of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Marawi City.

The respondents were given a non-extendible period of 10 days to comply with the order issued by Chief Justice Renato Corona in behalf of the SC full court that is on decision-writing recess until the third week of this month.

In separate petitions filed last month, the two groups composed of barangay officials and concerned voters in the ARMM questioned before the SC the legality of House Bill 4146 and Senate Bill 2756, which both intend to synchronize the ARMM polls with the mid-term national elections in 2013.

Kida and Macalawi both sought the issuance of a temporary restraining order enjoining Congress from further proceeding with both bills, which they argued are unconstitutional as they violate Republic Act 9054 (the ARMM’s Organic Act) that sets regional elections on the second Monday of September this year.

In his group’s petition, Kida argued that the proposed postponement also “violates the principles of a democratic and republican state mandated by the Constitution, and the right of Muslims in the region to local autonomy.”

The proposed postponement “would deny the voters in ARMM their right to elect their officials for a period of two years, in violation of their right to equal protection of the law, which guarantees the right of all qualified citizens to participate in local government on an equal footing,” Kida’s group further argued.

Macalawi’s group, on the other hand, argued in its 35-page petition that HB 4146, if enacted to law, would be the eighth postponement of the ARMM polls within the region’s 21-year existence.

“And this time Congress should be enjoined from this corrupt customary practice of repeatedly postponing ARMM polls and to stick to the prescribed regular ARMM elections provided in RA 9054,” the group said.

But the two groups differed as to when the ARMM polls should exactly be held. The first one believes that the polls should be held on Sept. 12 pursuant to RA 9054, and the second group, on Aug. 8 as set in RA 9333.

The administration of President Aquino supports the proposed postponement of the ARMM polls, saying many local officials in the autonomous region support it.

Meanwhile, the Comelec has rescheduled the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) for the ARMM polls.

In Resolution No. 9211, the Comelec said candidates can file their COCs from May 14 to 18. The original schedule was May 9 to 13.

There are some two million registered voters in the ARMM provinces of Basilan (except for Isabela City), Maguindanao (except for Cotabato City), Sulu, Lanao del Sur, and Tawi-Tawi.

They will elect their regional governor and vice governor, and members of the regional legislative assembly.

“The COC shall be filed by the candidate personally or by his duly authorized representative. No COC shall be filed or accepted by mail, telegram or facsimile,” the Comelec said.

The poll body asked candidates not to use titles in their names when they file their COCs.

“Titles such as don, datu, doctor, ginoo or words of similar imports shall not be allowed,” it said. – Edu Punay, with Sheila Crisostomo, PhilStar.com

Voter registration and validation of registration records resumes today

Voter registration and validation of registration records in areas not within the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) resumed on Tuesday, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said.

The continuing registration in non-ARMM areas was supposed to resume on April 1, 2011 but was moved to May 3, 2011.  It will end on Oct. 31, 2012.

However, the Comelec said voter registration will take a short break from Dec. 22, 2011 to Jan. 3, 2012.  The next national elections will be conducted in May 2013.

In Comelec Resolution 9168, the poll body said voter registration was reset because their regional election directors needed more time to procure and deliver voter application forms to the offices of provincial election supervisors.

Comelec Resolution 9149 says that voters not yet registered are required to personally file at the Office of the Election Officer in the city or municipality where the applicant resides their applications for:

  registration;

  transfer of registration records;

  change or correction of entries in the registration records;

  reactivation of registration records;

  inclusion of registration records, or 

  reinstatement of name in the list of voters.

Registration hours

The Comelec said applications will be received from Monday to Saturday, including holidays, during regular office hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

However, it said satellite registrations for detainee voters in detention centers shall also be conducted beginning January 12, 2012 to "ensure wider voter participation."

However, the Comelec announced in a separate resolution that resumption of voter registration in 10 municipalities in the 1st district of Ilocos Sur will be moved to July 1, 2011 since the poll body still has to conduct special elections in the area on May 28.

The 10 municipalities are: Bantay, Cabugao, Caoayan, Magsingal, San Ildefonso, San Juan, San Vicente, Sta. Catalina, Sinait, and Vigan City.

On the other hand, the 10-day voter registration for the August 2011 ARMM polls ended last March 31.

Requirements

The poll body said any Filipino citizen who is at least 18 years old, a resident for at least one year in the place where he intends to vote – for at least six months immediately preceding the election day – may file an application for registration.

Applicants need only bring any valid ID when they register, such as but not limited to:

  Current employee’s ID, with the signature of the employer or authorized representative;

  Postal ID;

  Student’s ID or library card, signed by the school authority;

  Senior citizen’s ID;

  Driver’s license;

  NBI/PNP clearance;

  Passport;

  SSS/GSIS ID;

  Integrated Bar of the Philippine (IBP) ID, and

  License issued by the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC).

The Comelec reminded applicants that community tax certificates (cedula) and barangay certifications will not be honored as valid identification documents. - VVP, GMA News

Resolution No. 9212 - Guidelines in Filing COCs and Nomination for Aug 8, 2011 ARMM Elections

Republic of the Philippines

COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS

M a n i l a

GUIDELINES ON  THE FILING OF CERTIFICATES OF CANDIDACY AND NOMINATION OF OFFICIAL CANDIDATES OF REGISTERED POLITICAL PARTIES IN CONNECTION WITH THE AUGUST 08, 2011 ELECTION OF REGIONAL OFFICIALS IN THE AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO (ARMM). x- - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - x		BRILLANTES, Sixto, Jr. S., SARMIENTO, Rene V., TAGLE, Lucenito N. VELASCO, Armando C., YUSOPH, Elias R., LIM, Christian Robert S.	Chairman Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner
		Promulgated:  April 28, 2011

RESOLUTION No. 9212

        The Commission on Elections, by virtue of the powers vested in it by the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, the Omnibus Election Code, and other election laws, RESOLVED to promulgate, as it hereby RESOLVES to promulgate, the following rules and guidelines on the filing of certificates of candidacy and nomination of official candidates of registered political parties in connection with the August 08, 2011 election of regional officials in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

        SECTION 1.  Certificate of Candidacy. – a) No person shall be elected Regional Governor, Regional Vice-Governor, or Member, Regional Legislative Assembly unless he files a sworn certificate of candidacy in the form prescribed by the Commission and within the period fixed herein.

b)  No person shall be eligible for more than one office to be filed in the same election.  If he files a certificate of candidacy for more than one office he shall not be eligible for any of them.  However, before the expiration of the period for the filing of certificate of candidacy, the person who has filed more than one certificate of candidacy may declare under oath the office for which he desires to be eligible and cancel the certificate of candidacy for the other office or offices.  Said declaration shall be filed personally or through his duly authorized representative with the proper office in accordance with Sec. 3 hereof.

c)  A person who has filed a certificate of candidacy may, prior to the election, withdraw the same pursuant to Section 13 hereof.

d)  The filing or withdrawal of a certificate of candidacy shall not affect whatever civil, criminal or administrative liabilities which a candidate may have incurred.

SEC. 2.  Contents of Certificate of Candidacy. – The certificate of candidacy shall be under oath and shall state that the person filing it is announcing his candidacy for the office and constituency stated therein; that he is eligible for said office, his age, gender, civil status, place and date of birth, his citizenship, whether natural-born or naturalized; the registered political party to which he belongs, if any; if married, the full name of the spouse; his legal residence, giving the exact address, the precinct number, barangay, city or municipality and province where he is a registered voter; his post office address for election purposes; his profession or occupation or employment; that he is not a permanent resident of or an immigrant to a foreign country; that he will support and defend the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines and will maintain true faith and allegiance thereto; that he will obey the laws, legal orders, decrees, resolutions, rules and regulations promulgated and issued by the duly-constituted authorities; that he assumes the foregoing obligations voluntarily without mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that the facts stated in the certificate are true and correct to the best of his own knowledge.

Unless a candidate has officially changed his name through a court-approved proceeding, a candidate shall use in a certificate of candidacy the name by which he has been baptized or if he has not been baptized in any church or religion, the name registered in the office of the local civil registrar or any other name under the provisions of existing law or, in the case of a Muslim, his Hadji name after performing the prescribed religious pilgrimage; provided, that when there are two or more candidates for an office with the same name and surname, each candidate, upon being made aware of such fact, shall state his paternal and maternal surname, except the incumbent who may continue to use the name and surname stated in his certificate of candidacy when he was elected.

The person filing the certificate of candidacy may include one nickname or stage name by which he is generally or popularly known in the locality; Provided, That no candidate shall use the nickname, stage name or initials of another.  In case of several nicknames or stage names, only the nickname or stage name first written shall be considered.  He shall affix his signature, thumbmark and his latest passport size photograph (taken not more than three (3) months before the date of filing his certificate of candidacy); and if he so desires, a statement in duplicate containing his bio-data and program of government not exceeding one hundred words.

Titles, such as DON, DATU, DOCTOR, GINOO, or words of similar imports shall not be allowed.

SEC. 3.  Where to File Certificate of Candidacy. – The certificate of candidacy shall be filed in FIVE (5) LEGIBLE COPIES with the offices of the Commission specified hereunder:

ELECTIVE OFFICE	COMELEC Office where the certificates shall be filed
Regional Governor Regional Vice-Governor	Office of the Regional Election Director, ARMM
Member, Regional Legislative Assembly	Office of the Provincial Election Supervisor concerned

The certificate of candidacy shall be filed by the candidate personally or by his duly authorized representative.  No certificate of candidacy shall be filed or accepted by mail, telegram or facsimile.  The authority of the authorized representative shall be in writing and under oath, and attached to the certificate of candidacy.

SEC. 4.  Period for Filing Certificate of Candidacy. – The filing of certificate of candidacy shall be from 8:00 o’clock in the morning up to 5:00 o’clock in the afternoon, beginning May 14, 2011 up to May 17, 2011, inclusive of Saturday and Sunday, and from 8:00 o’clock in the morning to 12:00 midnight on May 18, 2011.

No certificate of candidacy and/or party nomination shall be received after 12:00 o’clock midnight of the last day for filing certificates of candidacy, except in cases of proper and valid substitution under Section 14 hereof.

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COMELEC employees welcome appointment of new poll commissioner Lagman

Members of the Alliance of Commission on Elections Employees in Service (ACES) on Wednesday welcomed the appointment of veteran IT expert Augusto "Gus" Lagman as the new Comelec commissioner.

“Though the ACES earlier hoped for an insider, Mr. Lagman’s appointment to the seven-member collegial body is certainly welcome news," ACES vice president for internal affairs Mac Ramirez said in a statement Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, Malacañang announced that Lagman will be replacing retired poll commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer, whose term ended last February.

Ramirez said that Lagman's IT knowledge will be of "tremendous use" for the Comelec while it gears up for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) elections in August.

“We hope, however, Lagman wouldn’t turn-tail on his advocacy for transparency and credibility of the automated elections in the country now that he is inside the agency he helped keep in check for several years already," he said.

He likewise said he hopes the newly appointed Comelec official will also champion the welfare of the more than 6,000 Comelec rank and file employees nationwide.

“We urge him to also join us in our fight for job security, better working conditions, decent wages and in our democratic right to organize and negotiate with management concerning our welfare," Ramirez said. - Kimberly Jane Tan/KBK, GMA News

Veteran IT expert Gus Lagman is new COMELEC commissioner

Agusto C. Lagman

MANILA, Philippines - President Noynoy Aquino has appointed IT professional Augusto C. Lagman as Commission on Elections (Comelec) commissioner for a term that will expire until February 2, 2018, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte announced today.

Lagman is currently chairman of Vinta Systems, Inc, developer of AI-oriented software products. He is also director of STI College Recto and Biometrix Technologies, according to his curriculum vitae. 

Valte said it was Lagman’s “competence” that made him clinch the position. Valte said the President has always expressed his intention to appoint an IT expert “given the issues that the commission had faced during the last election.”

Asked why it took the President almost three months to name the appointee for the vacant slot, Valte said, “The President really wanted to find the right persons for the job. And sometimes it really takes quite some time to give over the shortlist and the nominees and you do know that sometimes also the President takes a personal hand in interviewing some nominees for any prospective position.”  [By Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News]