In people's initiative: More signatures now in question

More questionable signatures have emerged in the second day of the Commission on Elections' verifications of signatures in support of the government-endorsed "People's Initiative" to change the Charter.

As of 4:20 p.m. yesterday, at least 291 questionable signatures were found from 1,542 signatures from 16 barangays in the north district. These signatures were dissimilar from those in the Voter's Registration Record to which they were compared.

The signatures are from barangays Santo Niño, Adlaon, Agsungot, Apas, Binaliw, Cogon Ramos, Ermita, Kamagayan, Lahug, Mabini, Mabolo, Malubog, Pulangbato, Sambag II, San Antonio, and Tejero.

Aside from the dissimilar signatures, the Comelec also found out that about 382 signatures do not have available records and over 79 signatures are those from unregistered voters in the north district. Only 790 signatures are similar to those in the Comelec's records.

Meanwhile, of 2,725 signatures checked since the other day, the south district office of the Comelec found 718 signatures that are different from those in the records. It also found 167 signatures of residents who were not registered voters in the district, and 354 signatures with no records at all.

But south district election officer Marchel Sarno explained the 354 signatures might be among those they have forwarded to Manila for an election protest.

The signatures came from barangays Sinsin, Pasil, Quiot, Basak Pardo, San Nicolas Central, Cogon, Duljo Fatima, Buot-taup, Sapangdaku, Pamutan, Poblacion Pardo, Sudlon, and Kinasang-an.

The other day, at least 29,125 signatures from 46 barangays were forwarded to Comelec's north district while 19,585 signatures from 30 barangays were forwarded to its south district office.

The Comelec north district completed verifying the signatures from barangays Pari-an and San Jose the other day and observed that several of the signatures were different from those in the Voter's Registration Record.

North district election officer Simaco Labata had said the discrepancies would most likely appear in the signatures that are yet to be subjected to verification.

The north district, which has more barangays, has an approximate voting population of 193,000 while the south district has a voting population of about 233,000.

Both Comelec offices intend to finish the verifications this month. Only three percent of each legislative district is required to support the petition for the campaign to change the Charter.

A people's initiative is one of the legal modes to change the Constitution and the groups pushing for it - including local government units - are in charge of properly disseminating information regarding the ongoing signature drive. - Joeberth M. Ocao