COMELEC Resolution No. 6262

Republic of the Philippines
COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS
Manila

RESOLUTION No. 6262

RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE GENERAL REGISTRATION OF VOTERS IN CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES COMPRISING THE AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO (ARMM), AND IN THE CITY OF ISABELA, BASILAN

Promulgated: 18 July 2003

WHEREAS, acting on various petitions for the annulment of the permanent lists of voters/books of voters in all of the cities and municipalities of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao (except Cotabato City) and Lanao del Sur, the Commission on Elections, in its Resolution of 08 July 2003 in SPP Nos. 03-029 to 03-032; 03-034 to 03-045 and 03-047, annulled the lists of voters/ books of voters in the abovementioned cities and municipalities;

WHEREAS, in the said Resolution of 08 July 2003, the Commission shall see to it that a new list of voters in the affected areas is prepared in accordance with the guidelines and schedules which the Commission will set for the purpose.

NOW, THEREFORE, the Commission on Elections has, by virtue of the powers vested in it by the Constitution, the Omnibus Election Code, Republic Act Nos. 8189, 8746 and other related election laws, RESOLVED to promulgate, as it hereby promulgates, the following rules and regulations to govern the general registration of voters in the provinces of Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Maguindanao (except Cotabato City) and Lanao del Sur:

Section 1. Declaration of policy. - It is the policy of the Commission to establish clean, complete and accurate list of voters through the adoption of biometrics technology in the registration process.

Section 2. Date, time and place of filing, hearing and approval/disapproval of applications for registration. - Applications for registration shall be filed at the designated Registration Centers of the city/municipality, from 7:00 o'clock a.m. to 65:00 o'clock p.m., and heard at Office of the Election Officer of the city/municipality concerned, in accordance with the following schedule:

Period to file applications for registration Posting of Notice of Hearing Period to file opposition to applications for registration Hearing and Approval/Disapproval of applications for registration

July 25-30, 2003
(inclusive of Saturdays and Sundays) August 03, 2003 July 25, 2003 to August 04, 2003 August 18, 2003

Section 3. Who may register. - Every Filipino citizen residing in any of the cities and municipalities in the provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao (except Cotabato City), and Lanao del Sur may register as a voter provided he:

a. Is at least eighteen (18) years of age on the May 10, 2004 elections;

b. Has resided in the Philippines for at least one (1) year and in the place wherein he proposes to vote for at least six (6) months on or before the May 10, 2004 elections; and

c. Is not otherwise disqualified by law.

Any person, who has not reached the required age or period of residence on the day of registration but will possess such qualifications on or before the May 10, 2004 elections, may register as a voter.

Section 4. Who are disqualified to register. - The following are disqualified from registering as a voter.

1. Any person who has been sentenced by final judgment to suffer imprisonment for not less than one (1) year, such disability not having been removed by plenary pardon or amnesty.

2. Any person who has been adjudged by final judgment by a competent court or tribunal of having committed any crime involving disloyalty to the duly-constituted government, such as, rebellion, insurrection, violation of the firearms laws, or any crime against national security unless restored to his full civil and political rights in accordance with law; and

3. An insane or incompetent person as declared by competent authority unless subsequently declared by proper authority that such person is no longer insane or incompetent.

Any person disqualified to register under paragraphs (1) and (2) above shall automatically reacquire the right to vote upon expiration of five (5) years after service of sentence.

Section 5. Registration Centers. - The Election Officers concerned shall designate Registration Centers where applicants shall file their applications. For this purpose, the Election Officers shall:

a. Cluster the barangays in the city or municipality provided that the barangays to be clustered must be compact, contiguous and adjacent to each other;

b. Designate the Registration Center for each cluster of barangays in accordance with the following:

1. The Registration Center must be located in a public building, preferably a school, that is accessible to and convenient for the majority of the voters affected, taking into consideration the peace and order situation, including family feuds or "rido";

2. The Registration Center must have electrical power connections, and safe and secure areas where the data-capture work stations and other registration forms and supplies will be installed or kept during the period for the filing of applications for registration;

A building without electrical power connections may still be designated as a Registration Center provided that an alternative power source will be installed therein, and that the other criteria for the establishment of Registration Centers are met.

There shall be at least one (1) data-capture workstations in each Registration Center. The number of Registration Centers to be established shall not exceed the number of data-capture workstations allocated for the city or municipality as provided in Annex "A" hereof.

3. The data-capture workstations allotted to the city/municipality shall be distributed equitably among the clusters taking into consideration the number of voters thereat per cluster;

4. Each data-capture workstation in a Registration Center shall be manned by an Interviewer and a Data Capture Software (DCS) Operator.

5. A Registration Center Supervisor shall be designated for each Registration Center. In Registration Centers where there is only one data-capture workstation, the Interviewer shall act as the Registration Center Supervisor. Where there are two or more data-capture workstations in a Registration Center, the Registration Center Supervisor shall be designated from among the assigned Interviewers.

c. The specific name and location of the designated Registration Centers shall be posted in the bulletin boards of the Office of the Election Officer, the City/Municipal Hall and the Barangay Hall of the barangays concerned at least three (3) days before the start of the filing of applications for registration.

Section 6. Designation of additional Election Officers and Election Assistants. - Election Officers and Election Assistants from other provinces shall be utilized as additional Election Officers and Election Assistants to augment the manpower requirements for Interviewers and DCS Operators during the registration period.

The designated additional Election Officers shall serve as Interviewers while the Election Assistants shall serve as DCS Operators.

In case of insufficiency of personnel for designation as DCS, employees from other offices of the Commission may be designated as DCS. lªvvph¡1.ñét

Section 7. Authority of Interviewers to administer oath. - The additional Election Officer designated as Interviewer in each Data Capture Workstation is authorized to administer oath for purposes of the registration.

Section 8. Procedure for filing of applications for registration. -

(a) The applicant shall personally appear before the Interviewer in his designated Registration Center, state his name and exact address, specifying the house number, name of the street, area, district, purok or sitio and barangay where he resides, or a brief description of his residence, anand present any of the following documents:

1. Current employees identification card (ID) with his picture and signature and the signature of the employer or authorized representative;

2. Postal ID;

3. Student's ID or library card with picture and signed by the school authority;

4. Senior Citizen's ID;

5. Driver's license;

6. NBI/PNP clearance with picture; or

7. Passport.

In the absence of any of the abovementioned identification documents, the applicant may be identified under oath by any of his relative within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity.

If the applicant is not the same person applying for registration, the interviewer shall not issue an application form to the applicant.

(b) If the applicant is the same person applying for registration, the Interviewer, using the barangay precinct map, shall verify whether or not the address given by the applicant is in one of the barangays assigned to the Registration Center.

If the applicant is not a resident of the barangay assigned to the Registration Center, the Interviewer shall instruct the applicant to proceed to the Registration Center of the barangay where the applicant resides.

If the applicant resides in the barangay assigned to the Registration Center, the Interviewer shall:

1. informInform the applicant of the qualifications and disqualifications for registration;

2. Determine the precinct where the applicant belongs by referring to the barangay precinct map. For this purpose, the applicant shall be assigned to the precinct comprising his residence;

3. Indicate the precinct assignment of the applicant at the right .upperhand portion of the application form; and

4. Issue the prescribed application form to the applicant. A sample of which is attached hereto as Annex "B".

If the applicant is not a resident of the barangay assigned to the Registration Center, the Interviewer shall instruct the applicant to proceed to the Registration Center of the barangay where the applicant resides.

(c) dUpon receipt of the application form, the applicant shall personally accomplish the same in his own handwriting and submit the accomplished application form to the Interviewer.

(d) eThe Interviewer shall make sure that the application have been filled up completely and legibly, write down the Application Form Number, in the space provided for in the application, then proceed as provided for in the Data Capture Workstation Users Guide administer the oath, sign the form in the designated areaportion, return the form to the applicant and directs the applicant to the Data Capture Software (DCS) Operator.

The Application Form Number shall consist of two parts, each separated by a dash. The first part stands for the Data Capture Workstation No. The second part consisting of four digits beginning with 0001, represents the number series assigned to each application form issued.

For this purposes, the regular Election Officer of the city/municipality shall consecutively number each data capture workstation in the city/municipality beginning with "01"

For example, the Interviewer is assigned to Data Capture Workstation 1 and he issues an application to the first applicant, the Application Form Number would be 01-0001, the Application Form Number of the second applicant in the same workstation would be 01-0002.;
If the Interviewer is assigned to Data Capture Workstation 2, the first Application Form Number to be assigned would be 02-0001, the next would be 02-0002, and so on.

(e) fThe DCS Operator shall proceed to capture the demographic and biometric data of the applicant as provided for in the Data Capture Workstation User's Guide.

(f) gEach Interviewer shall be provided with a journal (notebook) to write down any important occurrences and incidents during the process.

(g) At the close of each registration day, the designated Supervisor of the Registration Center, shall:

1. Collect all accomplished application forms from the r DCS Operator;

2. Compile the accomplished forms per barangay and by precinct, and arrange the themapplication forms alphabetically by surname and store them, together with the other forms and supplies in a safe and secure place in the Registration Center.

3. Prepare a list of those who were registered for the day to be submitted to the Election Officer of the city/municipality on the same day.

4. Prepare a brief narrative regarding the occurrence of any untoward incident during the day and the action taken thereon.

On the day following the end of the filing period, the supervisor of the Registration Center shall transmit all the accomplished application forms, and Ccompact Ddiscs (CDs) and other forms to the Election Officer of the city and municipality.

The data capture workstations equipment and peripherals shall be transported from the Registration Centers to a safe and secure place in the city/municipality until their shipment to other areas.

Section 9. Accomplishment of application forms of illiterate or disabled applicants. - Any illiterate or disabled person who possesses all the qualifications and none of the disqualifications of a voter may be assisted in the preparation of his application form by a relative within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity, or if he has none, by any person of his confidence who belong to the same household, or by the Interviewer.

In no case shall an assistor assist more than three (3) times except the Interviewer.

All assistors must be of voting age.

The Interviewer shall place the illiterate or disabled person under oath, after which the assistor shall ask the illiterate or disabled person questions under oath, and record the answers given in order to accomplish properly the application form.

Once the application is accomplished, it shall be given to the Interviewer who shall read the accomplished form aloud to the person assisted and ask him if the information given is true and correct.

The applicant shall, in the presence of the Interviewer affix his thumbmark or some other customary mark on the accomplished form.

The Interviewer shall then accomplish a Certification/Attestation, a sample of which is attached hereto as Annex "C".

Section 10. Challenge of right to register. - Any person applying for registration may be challenged in writing and under oath before the Interviewer by any voter or representative of a registered political party or watcher in accordance with the schedule provided in Section 2 hereof. The challenge shall be attached to the application form together with the proof of notice of hearing to the applicant.

Section 11. Notice of hearing of application. - Upon receipt of the applications, the EO shall immediately set them for hearing, notices of which shall be posted in the municipal/city bulletin board and in his office in accordance with the schedule provided in Section 2 hereof, furnishing copies thereof to the applicants concerned, the heads or representatives of registered political parties and other accredited groups or organization in the city/municipality.

Section 12. Approval or disapproval of application. - The Election Registration Board (ERB) of the city/municipality shall hear the applications and, by majority vote, approve or disapprove the same in accordance with the schedule provided in Section 2 hereof. Should one day be insufficient for the processing of all accepted applications, the ERB shall meet daily until all applications shall have been process but not exceeding five (5) days from the time of their first meeting.

If the ERB disapproves the application, the applicant shall be furnished with a certificate of disapproval stating the ground therefor.

In case of approval or disapproval, any aggrieved party may file a petition for exclusion or inclusion with the proper Municipal Trial Courts.

Section 13. Publication of action on application for registration. - Immediately after the approval or disapproval of an application for registration, the ERB shall post a notice in the bulletin boards of the municipal/city hall and in the office of the EO, stating the names and addresses of the applicants, the dates of the applications and the actions taken thereon. The EO shall serve a copy of the notice either personally or by registered mail or special delivery, to the local heads or representatives of registered political parties in the city/municipality.

Section 14. Application for transfer of registration records from other cities and municipalities to the ARMM or to Isabela City, Basilan. - Any registered voter who has transferred residence to a municipality/city in the ARMM or in Isabela City, Basilan, for at least six (6) months before the May 10, 2004 elections, may transfer his registration records to his new residence by filing an application for validation in the Registration Center for the barangay where he transferred residence, on the dates provided in Section 2 hereof. In support of the application, the applicant shall attach a certified copy of his current voter registration record.

The application for validation for transfer of registration records shall be subject to the requirements of notice and hearing and the approval of the ERB. If the ERB finds that the applicant for transfer of registration records meet all the qualifications, including the six-month residency requirement, and none of the disqualifications of a voter, the application shall be approved. If not, the application shall be denied.

Upon approval of the application for validation for transfer, and after notice of such approval with the EO of the former residence of the voter, said EO shall transmit by registered mail the original copy of the applicant's voter's registration record to the EO of the voter's new residence.

Section 15. Disposition of the approved and disapproved applications for registration. - The Election Officer shall separately compile the approved and disapproved applications for registration and application for validation for transfer of registration records by precinct in every barangay, arrange each compilation alphabetically according to surname, prepare a list for each compilation indicating the names of the applicants and the serial number of each applicant's application.

The application forms, the list of applicants and the compact disc containing the biometrics and demographics data shall be preserved and maintained by the Election Officer until such time that the Commission orders its transmittal to the Main Office in Manila.

Section 16. Applicability of other resolutions of the Commission. - The provisions of Res. No. 2904 (Rules and Regulations Governing the General Registration of Voters and the System of Continuing Registration of Voters Thereafter [RA 8189] and other resolutions of the Commission insofar as applicable and when not inconsistent herewith, shall apply in the registration of voters.

Section 17. Effectivity. - This Resolution shall take effect on the seventh day following its publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines.

Section 18. Dissemination. - The Education and Information Department is hereby directed to plan and implement a region-wide information campaign and to furnish copies of this Resolution to the Regional Election Directors of Regions IX and XII, the Provincial Election Supervisors of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, the Election Officers of Isabela City and of the city/municipalities in the Autonomous Region In Muslim Mindanao.

SO ORDERED.

(Sgd.) BENJAMIN S. ABALOS, SR.
Chairman

(Sgd.) LUZVIMINDA G. TANCANGCO
Commissioner (Sgd.) RUFINO S.B. JAVIER
Commissioner

(Sgd.) RALPH C. LANTION
Commissioner (Sgd.) MEHOL K. SADAIN
Commissioner

(Sgd.) RESURRECCION Z. BORRA
Commissioner (Sgd.) FLORENTINO A. TUASON, JR.
Commissioner

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