Comelec has ‘no power to shorten period’
The youth leaders’ petition said the October 31 deadline set in Comelec Resolution No. 8585 violated Republic Act. No. 8189 or The Voters Registration Act of 1996. Section 8 of the law says “no registration shall…be conducted during the period starting one hundred twenty (120) days before a regular election and ninety (90) days before a special election.”
The petition also said the Comelec resolution was “a manifest usurpation of the legislative power of Congress,” and said the deadline should be reset to Jan. 9, 2010.
‘Extension might pose problems’
The application for voter registration began as early as December 2008. In an interview with reporters earlier in the day, Comelec Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer said “late voters should just accept their fate” as extending the registration period might pose problems.
“If we have an extension, we cannot assure that we’ll be able to come out with a book of voters which is needed in every precinct,” he said. “Kahit i-accommodate yung late registrants, kung walang book of voters, wala rin (Even if we accommodate late registrants, if there is no book of voters, it’s pointless).”
Comelec on overtime work
Ferrer also said that their employees in Comelec field offices are “doing their best” and that the registrants are not being “appreciative” of their efforts.
