Lakas confident to get favorable SC decision

The ruling Lakas party is confident that the Supreme Court will rule that the required three-percent signature of voters for every congressional district was met to initiate Charter Change.

This was declared by Cebu City north district Rep. Raul del Mar following Wednesday night's meeting of party members called by House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., the party president.

Del Mar said that de Venecia and Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Constantino Jaraula, who are the principal authors of the petition for Charter Change, both expressed confidence over the Supreme Court decision.

Associate Justice Romeo Callejo Sr. earlier said that in the decision in the Santiago vs. Commission on Elections case, the SC did not authorize the Comelec to authenticate the signatures before a petition for initiative is filed.

The petitioners asserted during the oral arguments that the Supreme Court should revisit its own decision, invoking provision of the article which states that "amendments in this Constitution may likewise be directly proposed by the people through initiative upon a petition of at least 12 percent of the total number of registered votes therein."

Supreme Court Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban the other day ordered the proponents of people's initiative and their opponents to submit evidence that will prove whether or not the required three-percent signature of voters per congressional district was met.

Panganiban required all parties to submit within 15 days their respective memoranda, including attachments on the three percent voter's requirement. He said failure to meet with the required three-percent signature per congressional district means the people's initiative is illegal.

Del Mar said they expect the Supreme Court to render its decision by late November. If the decision is favorable, Del Mar said they would ask the Comelec to schedule a plebiscite. - Gregg M. Rubio/LPM