MANILA (UPDATE) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr on Tuesday said he expects the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to verify if the signatures obtained for the people’s initiative were “paid."

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“Well, pagka binayaran ‘yung signature, hindi tatanggapin ng Comelec ‘yun. So walang magandang mangyayari,” he said in an interview with journalists.

The President also dismissed reports that some people were allegedly paid to sign for the campaign, which calls for an amendment of the 1987 Constitution to allow Congress to "vote jointly" in future Charter change efforts.

“So, ang pagkakaalam ko hindi naman, wala namang ganoon. Ang sinasabi hindi bayaran ng cash, kundi nangangako ng kung anu-anong benefits,” he added.

The President addressed some suggestions by government agencies to suspend their social services to prevent them from being used in the signature campaign.

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“Hindi naman nagbago yung mga release natin [ng social services], constant pa din. Hindi naman maganda din ‘yun kasi may mga nangangailangan talaga,” he said.

Instead, he said the matter should be left with the Comelec whose job is to validate the signatures.

“We just let Comelec do their job and their work to validate the signature. And if there’s suspicion na may ganoon nga ay hindi talaga mabibilang ang mga signature na ‘yun,” he said.

SC INTERVENTION

Meanwhile, the Comelec said only a temporary restraining order (TRO) from the Supreme Court (SC) could stop it from accepting signature forms for the people’s initiative.

This, after election lawyer Romulo Macalintal said the poll body should stop accepting signature forms since there is no petition yet.

According to Comelec spokesman Rex Laudiangco, the poll body is only performing its mandate to accept the forms.

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“Ang pamamaraan po lagi is for a higher authority to issue a temporary restraining order… Ang puwede lang naman po mag-TRO sa Comelec ay ang Supreme Court,” Laudiangco said.

“Ang tanging ginagawa po namin ay magbilang lamang ng pirma at mag-issue ng certification. Wala pong exercise ng discretion,” he added.

PLEBISCITE

Meanwhile, the Comelec said it would be unlikely for any plebiscite for the people’s initiative to be held in 2025.

In Tuesday’s hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms, Comelec Executive Director Teopisto Elnas, Jr. said preparations for the next year's elections would be in full swing by January 2025.

The best time to hold the plebiscite for the people’s initiative, if it pushes through, would be before October this year.

“Ang window namin, per discussion with the Chair, hanggang August or September po. Kasi kapag October na maaapektuhan na ang maraming activities natin,” Elnas said.

October marks the start of filing of certificates of candidacy for the May 2025 elections.

“Right after the national and local elections sa May, we are under obligation to conduct registration para sa mga bagong botante sa SK (Sangguniang Kabataan) at saka sa barangay voters na gagawin by December. So 2025 talagang ano, next to impossible na ‘yung conduct ng plebisito po,” Elnas added.

The official said that the poll body would be thrown into a financial crisis if the plebiscite pushed through as this would cost around P13 billion.

“Kung magkakaroon man ng plebisito, maybe August or September, talagang kakapusin kami sa pondo. Because itong nadagdag sa 'min ngayon, if I remember it right, ito po ay para sa preparatory ng national and local elections po, special elections andoon na rin, and recall," Elnas said.

“So definitely magkakaroon ng financial crisis ang Comelec just in case matuloy ang kung anomang naitonal plebisicite na gagawin within this year,” he continued.

An additional P13 billion was recently given to Comelec by the Bicameral Conference Committee but this is allotted for other functions.