BATAS PAMBANSA BILANG 881

OMNIBUS ELECTION CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES

December 3, 1985

ARTICLE I.
GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 1. Title. - This Act shall be known and cited as the "Omnibus Election
Code of the Philippines."
Sec. 2. Applicability. - This Code shall govern all election of public officers and,
to the extent appropriate, all referenda and plebiscites.
Sec. 3. Election and campaign periods. - Unless otherwise fixed in special
cases by the Commission on Elections, which hereinafter shall be referred to
as the Commission, the election period shall commence ninety days before
the day of the election and shall end thirty days thereafter.
The period of campaign shall be as follows:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
1. Presidential and Vice-Presidential Election - 90 days;
2. Election of Members of the Batasang Pambansa and Local Election - 45
days; and
3. Barangay Election - 15 days.
The campaign periods shall not include the day before and the day of the
election.
However, in case of special elections under Article VIII, Section 5, Subsection
(2) of the Constitution, the campaign period shall be forty-five days.
Sec. 4. Obligation to register and vote. - It shall be the obligation of every
citizen qualified to vote to register and cast his vote.
Sec. 5. Postponement of election. - When for any serious cause such as
violence, terrorism, loss or destruction of election paraphernalia or records,
force majeure, and other analogous causes of such a nature that the holding
of a free, orderly and honest election should become impossible in any political
subdivision, the Commission, motu proprio or upon a verified petition by any

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interested party, and after due notice and hearing, whereby all interested
parties are afforded equal opportunity to be heard, shall postpone the election
therein to a date which should be reasonably close to the date of the election
not held, suspended or which resulted in a failure to elect but not later than
thirty days after the cessation of the cause for such postponement or
suspension of the election or failure to elect.
Sec. 6. Failure of election. - If, on account of force majeure, violence,
terrorism, fraud, or other analogous causes the election in any polling place
has not been held on the date fixed, or had been suspended before the hour
fixed by law for the closing of the voting, or after the voting and during the
preparation and the transmission of the election returns or in the custody or
canvass thereof, such election results in a failure to elect, and in any of such
cases the failure or suspension of election would affect the result of the
election, the Commission shall, on the basis of a verified petition by any
interested party and after due notice and hearing, call for the holding or
continuation of the election not held, suspended or which resulted in a failure
to elect on a date reasonably close to the date of the election not held,
suspended or which resulted in a failure to elect but not later than thirty days
after the cessation of the cause of such postponement or suspension of the
election or failure to elect.
Sec. 7. Call of special election. - (1) In case a vacancy arises in the Batasang
Pambansa eighteen months or more before a regular election, the Commission
shall call a special election to be held within sixty days after the vacancy occurs
to elect the Member to serve the unexpired term.
(2) In case of the dissolution of the Batasang Pambansa, the President shall
call an election which shall not be held earlier than forty-five nor later than
sixty days from the date of such dissolution.
The Commission shall send sufficient copies of its resolution for the holding of
the election to its provincial election supervisors and election registrars for
dissemination, who shall post copies thereof in at least three conspicuous
places preferably where public meetings are held in each city or municipality
affected.
Sec. 8. Election Code to be available in polling places. - A printed copy of this
Code in English or in the national language shall be provided and be made
available by the Commission in every polling place, in order that it may be
readily consulted by any person in need thereof on the registration, revision
and election days.

Sec. 9. Official mail and telegram relative to elections. - Papers connected

with the election and required by this Code to be sent by public officers in the

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performance of their election duties shall be free of postage and sent by
registered special delivery mail. Telegrams of the same nature shall likewise
be transmitted free of charge by government telecommunications and similar
facilities.
It shall be the duty of the Postmaster General, the Director of the Bureau of
Telecommunications, and the managers of private telecommunication
companies to transmit immediately and in preference to all other
communications or telegrams messages reporting election results and such
other messages or communications which the Commission may require or may
be necessary to ensure free, honest and orderly elections.
Sec. 10. Election expenses. - Except in barangay elections, such expenses as
may be necessary and reasonable in connection with the elections, referenda,
plebiscites and other similar exercises shall be paid by the Commission. The
Commission may direct that in the provinces, cities, or municipalities, the
election expenses chargeable to the Commission be advanced by the province,
city or municipality concerned subject to reimbursement by the Commission
upon presentation of the proper bill.
Funds needed by the Commission to defray the expenses for the holding of
regular and special elections, referenda and plebiscites shall be provided in
the regular appropriations of the Commission which, upon request, shall
immediately be released to the Commission. In case of deficiency, the amount
so provided shall be augmented from the special activities funds in the general
appropriations act and from those specifically appropriated for the purpose in
special laws.
Sec. 11. Failure to assume office. - The office of any official elected who fails
or refuses to take his oath of office within six months from his proclamation
shall be considered vacant, unless said failure is for a cause or causes beyond
his control.
Sec. 12. Disqualifications. - Any person who has been declared by competent
authority insane or incompetent, or has been sentenced by final judgment for
subversion, insurrection, rebellion or for any offense for which he has been
sentenced to a penalty of more than eighteen months or for a crime involving
moral turpitude, shall be disqualified to be a candidate and to hold any office,
unless he has been given plenary pardon or granted amnesty.
This disqualifications to be a candidate herein provided shall be deemed
removed upon the declaration by competent authority that said insanity or
incompetence had been removed or after the expiration of a period of five
years from his service of sentence, unless within the same period he again
becomes disqualified.

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 ARTICLE II.
ELECTION OF PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT

Sec. 13. Regular election for President and Vice-President. - The regular
election for President and Vice-President of the Philippines shall be held on the
first Monday of May Nineteen hundred eighty seven (1987) and on the same
day every six years thereafter. The President-elect and the Vice-President-
elect shall assume office at twelve o'clock noon on the thirtieth day of June
next following the election and shall end at noon of the same date, six years
thereafter when the term of his successor shall begin.
Sec. 14. Special election for President and Vice-President. - In case a vacancy
occurs for the Office of the President and Vice-President, the Batasang
Pambansa shall, at ten o'clock in the morning of the third day after the
vacancy occurs, convene in accordance with its rules without need of a call
and within seven days enact a law calling for a special election to elect a
President and a Vice-President to be held not earlier than forty-five days nor
later than sixty days from the time of such call. The bill calling such special
election shall be deemed certified under paragraph (2), Section 19, Article VIII
of the Constitution and shall become law upon its approval on third reading
by the Batasang Pambansa. Appropriations for the special election shall be
charged against any current appropriations and shall be exempt from the
requirements of paragraph (4), Section 16 of Article VIII of the Constitution.
The convening of the Batasang Pambansa cannot be suspended nor the special
election postponed. No special election shall be called if the vacancy occurs
within seventy days before the date of the presidential election of 1987.
Sec. 15. Canvass of votes for President and Vice-President by the provincial
or city board of canvassers. - The provincial, city, or district boards of
canvassers in Metropolitan Manila, as the case may be, shall meet not later
than six o'clock in the evening on election day to canvass the election returns
that may have already been received by them, respectively. It shall meet
continuously from day to day until the canvass is completed, but may adjourn
only for the purpose of awaiting the other election returns. Each time the
board adjourns, it shall make a total of all the votes cast for each candidate
for President and for Vice-President, duly authenticated by the signatures and
thumbmarks of all the members of the provincial, city or district board of
canvassers, furnishing the Commission in Manila by the fastest means of
communication a copy thereof, and making available the data contained
therein to mass media and other interested parties. Upon the completion of
the canvass, the board shall prepare a certificate of canvass showing the votes
received by each candidate for the office of the President and for Vice-
President, duly authenticated by the signatures and thumbmarks of all the
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members of the provincial, city or district board of canvassers. Upon the
completion of the certificate of canvass, the board shall certify and transmit
the said certificate of canvass to the Speaker of the Batasang Pambansa.
The provincial, city and district boards of canvassers shall prepare the
certificate of canvass for the election of President and Vice-President,
supported by a statement of votes by polling place, in quintuplicate by the use
of carbon papers or such other means as the Commission shall prescribe to
the end that all five copies shall be legibly produced in one handwriting. The
five copies of the certificate of canvass must bear the signatures and
thumbmarks of all the members of the board. Upon the completion of these
certificates and statements, they shall be enclosed in envelopes furnished by
the Commission and sealed, and immediately distributed as follows: the
original copy shall be enclosed and sealed in the envelope directed to the
Speaker and delivered to him at the Batasang Pambansa by the fastest
possible means; the second copy shall likewise be enclosed and sealed in the
envelope directed to the Commission; the third copy shall be retained by the
provincial election supervisor, in the case of the provincial board of
canvassers, and by the city election registrar, in the case of the city board of
canvassers; and one copy each to the authorized representatives of the ruling
party and the dominant opposition political party. Failure to comply with the
requirements of this section shall constitute an election offense.
Sec. 16. Counting of votes for President and Vice-President by the Batasang
Pambansa. - The certificates of canvass, duly certified by the board of
canvassers of each province, city or district in Metropolitan Manila shall be
transmitted to the Speaker of the Batasang Pambansa, who shall, not later
than thirty days after the day of the election, convene the Batasang Pambansa
in session and in its presence open all the certificates of canvass, and the
votes shall then be counted.
Sec. 17. Correction of errors in certificate and supporting statement already
transmitted to the Speaker. - No correction of errors allegedly committed in
the certificate of canvass and supporting statement already transmitted to the
Speaker of the Batasang Pambansa shall be allowed, subject to the provisions
of the succeeding section.
Sec. 18. Preservation of ballot boxes, their keys, and disposition of their
contents. - Until after the completion by the Batasang Pambansa of the
canvassing of the votes and until an uncontested proclamation of the
President-elect and Vice-President-elect shall have been obtained, the
provincial, city or district board of canvassers under the joint responsibility
with the provincial, city or municipal treasurers shall provide for the
safekeeping and storage of the ballot boxes in a safe and closed chamber
secured by four padlocks: one to be provided by the corresponding board
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chairman; one by the provincial or city treasurer concerned; and one each by
the ruling party and the accredited dominant opposition political party.
Sec. 19. When certificate of canvass is incomplete or bears erasures or
alterations. - When the certificate of canvass, duly certified by the board of
canvassers of each province, city or district in Metropolitan Manila and
transmitted to the Speaker of the Batasang Pambansa, as provided in the
Constitution, appears to be incomplete, the Speaker shall require the board of
canvassers concerned to transmit to his office, by personal delivery, the
election returns from polling places that were not included in the certificate of
canvass and supporting statements. Said election returns shall be submitted
by personal delivery to the Speaker within two days from receipt of notice.
When it appears that any certificate of canvass or supporting statement of
votes by polling place bears erasures or alterations which may cast doubt as
to the veracity of the number of votes stated therein and may affect the result
of the election, the Batasang Pambansa upon request of the Presidential or
Vice-Presidential candidate concerned or his party shall, for the sole purpose
of verifying the actual number of votes cast for President or Vice-President,
count the votes as they appear in the copies of the election returns for the
Commission. For this purpose, the Speaker shall require the Commission to
deliver its copies of the election returns to the Batasang Pambansa.
Sec. 20. Proclamation of the President-elect and Vice-President-elect. - Upon
the completion of the canvass of the votes by the Batasang Pambansa, the
persons obtaining the highest number of votes for President and for Vice-
President shall be declared elected; but in case two or more shall have an
equal and the highest number of votes, one of them shall be chosen President
or Vice-President, as the case may be, by a majority vote of all the Members
of the Batasang Pambansa in session assembled.
In case there are certificates of canvass which have not been submitted to the
Speaker of the Batasang Pambansa on account of missing election returns, a
proclamation may be made if the missing certificates will not affect the results
of the election.
In case the certificates of canvass which were not submitted on account of
missing election returns will affect the results of the election, no proclamation
shall be made. The Speaker shall immediately instruct the boards of
canvassers concerned to obtain the missing election returns from the boards
of election inspectors or, if the returns have been lost or destroyed upon prior
authority from the Commission, to use any authentic copy of said election
returns for the purpose of conducting the canvass, and thereafter issue the
certificates of canvass. The certificates of canvass shall be immediately
transmitted to the Speaker of the Batasang Pambansa.

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Proclamation shall be made only upon submission of all certificates of canvass
or when the missing certificates of canvass will not affect the results of the
election.

ARTICLE III.
ELECTION OF MEMBERS OF THE BATASANG PAMBANSA

Sec. 21. Regular election of Members of the Batasang Pambansa. - The regular
election of the Members of the Batasang Pambansa shall be held on the second
Monday of May, Nineteen hundred and ninety (1990) and on the same day
every six years thereafter.
Sec. 22. Special election for Members of the Batasang Pambansa. - In case a
vacancy arises in the Batasang Pambansa eighteen months or more before a
regular election, the Commission shall call a special election to be held within
sixty days after the vacancy occurs to elect the Member to serve the unexpired
term.
The Batasang Pambansa through a duly approved resolution or an official
communication of the Speaker when it is not in session shall certify to the
Commission the existence of said vacancy.
Sec. 23. Composition of the Batasang Pambansa. - The Batasang Pambansa
shall be composed of not more than two hundred Members elected from the
different provinces of the Philippines with their component cities, highly
urbanized cities and districts of Metropolitan Manila, those elected or selected
from various sectors as provided herein, and those chosen by the President
from the members of the Cabinet.
Sec. 24. Apportionment of representatives. - Until a new apportionment shall
have been made, the Members of the Batasang Pambansa shall be
apportioned in accordance with the Ordinance appended to the Constitution,
as follows:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
National Capital Region: Manila, 6; Quezon City, 4; Caloocan, 2; Pasay, 1;
Pasig and Marikina, 2; Las Piñas and Parañaque, 1; Makati, 1; Malabon,
Navotas and Valenzuela, 2; San Juan and Mandaluyong, 1; Taguig, Pateros
and Muntinglupa, 1.
Region 1: Abra, 1; Benguet, 1; Ilocos Norte with Laoag City, 2; Ilocos Sur, 2;
La Union, 2; Mountain Province, 1; Pangasinan with the cities of Dagupan and
San Carlos, 6; Baguio City, 1.

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Region II: Batanes, 1; Cagayan, 3; Ifugao, 1; Isabela, 3; Kalinga-Apayao, 1;
Nueva Vizcaya, 1; Quirino, 1.
Region III: Bataan, 1; Bulacan, 4; Nueva Ecija with the cities of Cabanatuan,
Palayan and San Jose, 4; Pampanga with Angeles City, 4; Tarlac, 2; Zambales,
1; Olongapo City, 1.
Region IV: Aurora, 1; Batangas with the cities of Batangas and Lipa, 4; Cavite
with the cities of Cavite, Tagaytay and Trece Martires, 3; Laguna with San
Pablo City, 4; Marinduque, 1; Occidental Mindoro, 1; Oriental Mindoro, 2;
Palawan with Puerto Princesa City, 1; Quezon with Lucena City, 4; Rizal, 2;
Romblon, 1.
Region V: Albay with Legaspi City, 3; Camarines Norte, 1; Camarines Sur with
the cities of Iriga and Naga, 4; Catanduanes, 1; Masbate, 2; Sorsogon, 2.
Region VI: Aklan, 1; Antique, 1; Capiz with Roxas City; Iloilo with Iloilo City,
5; Negros Occidental with the cities of Bacolod, Bago, Cadiz, La Carlota, San
Carlos and Silay, 7.
Region VII: Bohol with Tagbilaran City, 3; Cebu with the cities of Danao,
Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue and Toledo, 6; Negros Oriental with the cities of Bais,
Canlaon and Dumaguete, 3; Siquijor, 1; Cebu City, 2.
Region VIII: Leyte with the cities of Ormoc and Tacloban, 5; Southern Leyte,
1; Eastern Samar, 1; Northern Samar, 1; Samar with Calbayog City, 2.
Region IX: Basilan, 1; Sulu, 1; Tawi-Tawi, 1; Zamboanga del Norte with the
cities of Dapitan and Dipolog, 2; Zamboanga del Sur with Pagadian City, 3;
Zamboanga City, 1.
Region X: Agusan del Norte with Butuan City, 1; Agusan del Sur, 1; Bukidnon,
2; Camiguin, 1; Misamis Occidental with the cities of Oroquieta, Ozamis and
Tangub, 1; Misamis Oriental with Gingoog City, 2; Surigao del Norte with
Surigao City, 1; Cagayan de Oro City, 1.
Region XI: Surigao del Sur, 1; Davao del Norte, 3; Davao Oriental, 1; Davao
del Sur, 2; South Cotabato with General Santos City, 3; Davao City, 2.
Region XII: Lanao del Norte, 1; Lanao del Sur with Marawi City, 2;
Maguindanao with Cotabato City, 2; North Cotabato, 2; Sultan Kudarat, 1;
Iligan City, 1.
Any province that may hereafter be created or any component city that may
hereafter be declared by or pursuant to law as a highly urbanized city shall be
entitled in the immediately following election to at least one Member or such
number of Members as it may be entitled to on the basis of the number of the

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inhabitants and on the same uniform and progressive ratio used in the last
preceding apportionment. The number of Members apportioned to the
province out of which the new province was created or where the new highly
urbanized city is geographically located shall be correspondingly adjusted by
the Commission, but such adjustment shall not be made within one hundred
twenty days before the election.
Sec. 25. Voting by province and its component cities, by highly urbanized city
or by district in Metropolitan Manila. - All candidates shall be voted at large by
the registered voters of their respective constituencies. The candidates
corresponding to the number of Member or Members to be elected in a
constituency who receive the highest number of votes shall be declared
elected.

Sec. 26. Sectoral representatives. - There shall be three sectors to be

represented in the Batasang Pambansa, namely: (1) youth; (2) agricultural
labor; (3) industrial labor whose representatives shall be elected in the
manner herein provided. Each sector shall be entitled to four representatives,
two of whom shall come from Luzon, one from Visayas, and one from
Mindanao: Provided, That the youth sector shall be entitled to two additional
sectoral representatives who shall be elected from any part of the country.
Sec. 27. Scope of the sectors. - The agricultural labor sector covers all persons
who personally and physically till the land as their principal occupation. It
includes agricultural tenants and lessees, rural workers and farm employees,
owner-cultivators, settlers and small fishermen.
The industrial labor sector includes all non-agricultural workers and
employees.
The youth sector embraces persons not more than twenty-five years of age.
Sec. 28. Selection of sectoral representatives. - Not later than twenty days
after the election of provincial, city or district representatives, the most
representative and generally recognized organizations or aggroupments of
members of the agricultural labor, industrial labor, and youth sectors, as
attested to by the Ministers of Agrarian Reform and of Agriculture and Food,
the Ministers of Labor and Employment, and the Ministers of Local Government
and of Education, Culture and Sports, respectively, shall, in accordance with
the procedures of said organizations or aggroupments of members of the
sector, submit to the President their respective nominees for each slot allotted
for each sector. The President shall appoint from among the nominees
submitted by the aforementioned organizations or aggroupments the
representatives of each sector.

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In recognizing the most representative and generally recognized organizations
or aggroupments, the Ministers of Agrarian Reform and of Agriculture and
Food, the Minister of Labor and Employment, and the Ministers of Local
Government and Education, Culture and Sports shall consider:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(a) The extent of membership and activity of the organization or aggroupment
which should be national;
(b) The responsiveness of the organization or aggroupment to the legitimate
aspirations of its sector;
(c) The militancy and consistency of the organization or aggroupment in
espousing the cause and promoting the welfare of the sector consistent with
that of the whole country;
(d) The observance by such organization or aggroupment of the rule of law;
and
(e) Other analogous factors.
The President of the Philippines shall, in writing, notify the Secretary-General
of the Batasang Pambansa of the appointment made by him of any sectoral
representative.
Except as herein otherwise provided, sectoral representatives shall have the
same functions, responsibilities, rights, privileges, qualifications and
disqualifications as the representatives from the provinces and their
component cities, highly urbanized cities or districts of Metropolitan Manila.

ARTICLE IV.
ELECTION OF LOCAL OFFICIALS

Sec. 29. Regular elections of local officials. - The election of provincial, city
and municipal officials whose positions are provided for by the Local
Government Code shall be held throughout the Philippines in the manner
herein prescribed on the first Monday of May, Nineteen hundred and eighty-
six and on the same day every six years thereafter.
The officials elected shall assume office on the thirtieth day of June next
following the election and shall hold office for six years and until their
successors shall have been elected and qualified.
All local incumbent officials whose tenure of office shall expire on March 23,
1986 shall hold office until June 30, 1986 or until their successors shall have

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been elected and qualified: Provided, That they cannot be suspended or
removed without just cause.
Sec. 30. Component and highly urbanized cities. - Unless their respective
charters provide otherwise, the electorate of component cities shall be entitled
to vote in the election for provincial officials of the province of which it is a
part.
The electorate of highly urbanized cities shall not vote in the election for
provincial officials of the province in which it is located: Provided, however,
That no component city shall be declared or be entitled to a highly urbanized
city status within ninety days prior to any election.

ARTICLE V.
ELECTION OF MEMBERS OF THE REGIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE
AUTONOMOUS REGIONS.

Sec. 31. The Sangguniang Pampook of the autonomous regions. - Region IX

and Region XII in southern Philippines shall each have a Sangguniang
Pampook to be composed of twenty-seven members and shall include
seventeen representatives elected from the different provinces and cities of
each region, and a sectoral representative each from among the youth,
agricultural workers, and non-agricultural workers (industrial labor) of each
region to be selected in the manner herein provided whose qualifications and
disqualifications are the same as Members of the Batasang Pambansa.
The President shall appoint an additional seven representatives in each region
whenever in his judgment any other sector is not properly represented in the
Sangguniang Pampook as a result of the elections.

Sec. 32. Apportionment of members of the Sangguniang Pampook. - The

Members of the Sangguniang Pampook of Region IX and of Region XII shall
be apportioned as follows:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
Region IX: Basilan, one (1); Sulu, three (3); Tawi-Tawi, one (1); Zamboanga
del Norte including the cities of Dipolog and Dapitan, four, (4); and
Zamboanga del Sur, including the City of Pagadian, six (6); and Zamboanga
City, two (2);
Region XII: Lanao del Norte, two (2); Iligan City, one (1); Lanao del Sur
including the City of Marawi, four (4); Maguindanao including the City of
Cotabato, four (4); North Cotabato, four (4); and Sultan Kudarat, two (2).

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Sec. 33. Election of members of Sangguniang Pampook. - The candidates for
the position of seventeen representatives to the Sangguniang Pampook of
Region IX and of Region XII shall be voted at large by the registered voters of
each province including the cities concerned.
The candidates corresponding to the number of member or members to be
elected in a constituency who receive the highest number of votes shall be
declared elected.
Sec. 34. Selection of sectoral representatives. - The President shall, within
thirty days from the convening of each Sangguniang Pampook, appoint the
sectoral representatives on recommendation of the Sangguniang Pampook
and after due consultation with the representative and generally recognized
organizations or aggrupations of members of the youth, agricultural workers
and non-agricultural workers as attested by the Ministers of Local Government
and of Education, Culture and Sports (youth), Ministers of Agrarian Reform
and of Agriculture and Food (agricultural workers), and Ministers of Labor and
Employment (non-agricultural or industrial labor).
The President of the Philippines shall in writing notify the Speaker of the
Sangguniang Pampook of each region of the appointment made by him of any
sectoral representative.
The sectoral representatives shall have the same functions, responsibilities,
rights, privileges, qualifications and disqualifications as the elective provincial
representatives to the Sangguniang Pampook: Provided, however, That no
defeated candidate for member of the Sangguniang Pampook in the
immediately preceding election shall be appointed as sectoral representative.
Sec. 35. Filling of vacancy. - Pending an election to fill a vacancy arising from
any cause in the Sangguniang Pampook, the vacancy shall be filled by the
President, upon recommendation of the Sangguniang Pampook: Provided,
That the appointee shall come from the same province or sector of the
member being replaced.
Sec. 36. Term of office. - The present members of the Sangguniang Pampook
of each of Region IX and Region XII shall continue in office until June 30, 1986
or until their successors shall have been elected and qualified or appointed
and qualified in the case of sectoral members. They may not be removed or
replaced except in accordance with the internal rules of said assembly or
provisions of pertinent laws.
The election of members of the Sangguniang Pampook of the two regions shall
be held simultaneously with the local elections of 1986. Those elected in said
elections shall have a term of four years starting June 30, 1986.

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Those elected in the election of 1990 to be held simultaneously with the
elections of Members of the Batasang Pambansa shall have a term of six years.

ARTICLE VI.
ELECTION OF BARANGAY OFFICIALS

Sec. 37. Regular election of barangay officials. - The election for barangay
officials shall be held throughout the Philippines in the manner prescribed on
the second Monday of May Nineteen hundred and eighty-eight and on the
same day every six years thereafter.
The officials elected shall assume office on the thirtieth day of June next
following the election and shall hold office for six years and until their
successors shall have been elected and qualified.
Sec. 38. Conduct of elections. - The barangay election shall be non-partisan
and shall be conducted in an expeditious and inexpensive manner.
No person who files a certificate of candidacy shall represent or allow himself
to be represented as a candidate of any political party or any other
organization; and no political party, political group, political committee, civic,
religious, professional, or other organization or organized group of whatever
nature shall intervene in his nomination or in the filing of his certificate of
candidacy or give aid or support, directly or indirectly, material or otherwise
favorable to or against his campaign for election: Provided, That this provision
shall not apply to the members of the family of a candidate within the fourth
civil degree of consanguinity or affinity nor to the personal campaign staff of
the candidate which shall not be more than one for every one hundred
registered voters in his barangay: Provided, however, That without prejudice
to any liability that may be incurred, no permit to hold a public meeting shall
be denied on the ground that the provisions of this paragraph may or will be
violated.
Nothing in this section, however, shall be construed as in any manner affecting
or constituting an impairment of the freedom of individuals to support or
oppose any candidate for any barangay office.
Sec. 39. Certificate of Candidacy. - No person shall be elected punong
barangay or kagawad ng sangguniang barangay unless he files a sworn
certificate of candidacy in triplicate on any day from the commencement of
the election period but not later than the day before the beginning of the
campaign period in a form to be prescribed by the Commission. The candidate
shall state the barangay office for which he is a candidate.

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The certificate of candidacy shall be filed with the secretary of the sangguniang
barangay who shall have the ministerial duty to receive said certificate of
candidacy and to immediately acknowledge receipt thereof.
In case the secretary refuses to receive the same, or in the case of his absence
or non-availability, a candidate may file his certificate with the election
registrar of the city or municipality concerned.
The secretary of the sangguniang barangay or the election registrar, as the
case may be, shall prepare a consolidated list all the candidates and shall post
said list in the barangay hall and in other conspicuous places in the barangay
at least ten days before the election.
Any elective or appointive municipal, city, provincial or national official or
employee, or those in the civil or military service, including those in
government-owned or controlled corporations, shall be considered
automatically resigned upon the filing of certificate of candidacy for a
barangay office.
Sec. 40. Board of Election Tellers. - (1) The Commission shall constitute not
later than ten days before the election a board of election tellers in every
barangay polling place, to be composed of a public elementary school teacher
as chairman, and two members who are registered voters of the polling place
concerned, but who are not incumbent barangay officials nor related to any
candidate for any position in that barangay within the fourth civil degree of
affinity or consanguinity.
In case no public elementary school teachers are available, the Commission
shall designate any registered voter in the polling place who is not an
incumbent barangay official nor related to any candidate for any position in
that barangay within the fourth civil degree of affinity or consanguinity.
(2) The board of election tellers shall supervise and conduct the election in
their respective polling places, count the votes and thereafter prepare a report
in triplicate on a form prescribed by the Commission. The original of this report
shall be delivered immediately to the barangay board of canvassers. The
second copy shall be delivered to the election registrar and the third copy shall
be delivered to the secretary of the sangguniang barangay who shall keep the
same on file.
Sec. 41. Registration of voters and list of voters. - Not later than seven days
before the election, the board of election tellers shall meet in every barangay
polling place to conduct the registration of barangay voters and to prepare the
list of voters. Any voter may challenge the qualification of any person seeking
to register and said challenge shall be heard and decided on the same day by
the board of election tellers.

14
The final list of voters shall be posted in the polling places at least two days
before election day. The registration of any voter shall not be transferred
without written notice at least two days before the date of election. Not later
than the day following the barangay election, the board of election tellers shall
deliver the list of voters to the election registrar for custody and safekeeping.
Sec. 42. Polling places. - (1) The chairman of the board of election tellers shall
designate the public school or any other public building within the barangay
to be used as polling place in case the barangay has one election precinct. (2)
For barangays with two or more election precincts the chairman of the board
of canvassers shall designate the public school or any other public building to
be used as polling place.
In case there is no public school or other public building that can be used as
polling places, other appropriate private buildings may be designated:
Provided, That such buildings are not owned or occupied or possessed by any
incumbent elective public official or candidate, or his relative within the fourth
civil degree of consanguinity or affinity. The polling place shall be centrally
located as possible, always taking into consideration the convenience and
safety of the voters.
Sec. 43. Official barangay ballots. - The official barangay ballots shall be
provided by the city or municipality concerned of a size and color to be
prescribed by the Commission.
Such official ballots shall, before they are handed to the voter at the polling
place, be authenticated in the presence of the voter, by the authorized
representatives of the candidates and the chairman and members of the board
of election tellers who shall affix their signatures at the back thereof. Any
ballot which is not authenticated shall be deemed spurious.
Sec. 44. Ballot boxes. - The Commission shall provide the ballot boxes for
each barangay polling place, but each candidate may be permitted to provide
a padlock for said ballot box.
Sec. 45. Postponement or failure of election. - When for any serious cause
such as violence, terrorism, loss or destruction of election paraphernalia or
records, force majeure, and other analogous causes of such nature that the
holding of a free, orderly and honest election should become impossible in any
barangay, the Commission, upon a verified petition of an interested party and
after due notice and hearing at which the interested parties are given equal
opportunity to be heard, shall postpone the election therein for such time as
it may deem necessary.
If, on account of force majeure, violence, terrorism, fraud or other analogous
causes, the election in any barangay has not been held on the date herein

15
fixed or has been suspended before the hour fixed by law for the closing of
the voting therein and such failure or suspension of election would affect the
result of the election, the Commission, on the basis of a verified petition of an
interested party, and after due notice and hearing, at which the interested
parties are given equal opportunity to be heard shall call for the holding or
continuation of the election within thirty days after it shall have verified and
found that the cause or causes for which the election has been postponed or
suspended have ceased to exist or upon petition of at least thirty percent of
the registered voters in the barangay concerned.
When the conditions in these areas warrant, upon verification by the
Commission, or upon petition of at least thirty percent of the registered voters
in the barangay concerned, it shall order the holding of the barangay election
which was postponed or suspended.
Sec. 46. Barangay board of canvassers. - (1) The Commission shall constitute
a board of canvassers at least seven days before the election in each
barangay, to be composed of the senior public elementary school teacher in
the barangay as chairman, and two other public elementary school teachers,
as members.
In case the number of public elementary school teachers is inadequate, the
Commission shall designate the chairman and members of the barangay board
of canvassers from among the board of election tellers.
(2) The barangay board of canvassers shall meet immediately in a building
where a polling place is found and which is most centrally located in the
barangay and after canvassing the results from the various polling places
within the barangay, proclaim the winners. The board of canvassers shall
accomplish the certificate of proclamation in triplicate on a form to be
prescribed by the Commission. The original of the certificate shall be sent to
the election registrar concerned, the second copy shall be delivered to the
secretary of the sangguniang bayan or sangguniang panglunsod, as the case
may be, and the third copy shall be kept on file by the secretary of the
sangguniang barangay.
(3) In a barangay where there is only one polling place, the barangay board
of election tellers shall also be the barangay board of canvassers.
Sec. 47. Activities during the campaign period. - During the campaign period,
the punong barangay if he is not a candidate, or any resident of the barangay
designated by the Commission, shall convene the barangay assembly at least
once for the purpose of allowing the candidates to appear at a joint meeting
duly called, upon proper and with at least two days notice, to explain to the
barangay voters their respective program of administration, their

16
qualifications, and other information that may help enlighten voters in casting
their votes.
The members of the barangay assembly may take up and discuss other
matters relative to the election of barangay officials.
Sec. 48. Watchers. - Candidates may appoint two watchers each, to serve
alternately, in every polling place within the barangay, who shall be furnished
with a signed copy of the results of the election, in such form as the
Commission may prescribe, immediately after the completion of the canvass.
Sec. 49. Inclusion and exclusion cases. - Inclusion and exclusion cases which
shall be decided not later than seven before the date of the election shall be
within the exclusive original jurisdiction of the municipal or metropolitan trial
court. The notice of such decision shall be served to all parties within twenty-
four hours following its promulgation and any party adversely affected may
appeal therefrom within twenty-four hours to the regional trial court which
shall finally decide the same not later than two days before the date of the
election.
Sec. 50. Funding. - Local governments shall appropriate such funds to defray
such necessary and reasonable expenses of the members of the board of
election tellers, board of canvassers and the printing of election forms and
procurement of other election paraphernalia, and the installation of polling
booths.
Sec. 51. Penalties. - Violations of any provisions of this Article shall constitute
prohibited acts and shall be prosecuted and penalized in accordance with the
provisions of this Code.

ARTICLE VII.
THE COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS

Sec. 52. Powers and functions of the Commission on Elections. - In addition

to the powers and functions conferred upon it by the Constitution, the
Commission shall have exclusive charge of the enforcement and
administration of all laws relative to the conduct of elections for the purpose
of ensuring free, orderly and honest elections, and shall:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(a) Exercise direct and immediate supervision and control over national and
local officials or employees, including members of any national or local law
enforcement agency and instrumentality of the government required by law
to perform duties relative to the conduct of elections. In addition, it may

17
authorize CMT cadets eighteen years of age and above to act as its deputies
for the purpose of enforcing its orders.
The Commission may relieve any officer or employee referred to in the
preceding paragraph from the performance of his duties relating to electoral
processes who violates the election law or fails to comply with its instructions,
orders, decisions or rulings, and appoint his substitute. Upon recommendation
of the Commission, the corresponding proper authority shall suspend or
remove from office any or all of such officers or employees who may, after
due process, be found guilty of such violation or failure.
(b) During the period of the campaign and ending thirty days thereafter, when
in any area of the country there are persons committing acts of terrorism to
influence people to vote for or against any candidate or political party, the
Commission shall have the power to authorize any member or members of
the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the National Bureau of Investigation, the
Integrated National Police or any similar agency or instrumentality of the
government, except civilian home defense forces, to act as deputies for the
purpose of ensuring the holding of free, orderly and honest elections.
(c) Promulgate rules and regulations implementing the provisions of this Code
or other laws which the Commission is required to enforce and administer,
and require the payment of legal fees and collect the same in payment of any
business done in the Commission, at rates that it may provide and fix in its
rules and regulations.
Rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission to implement the
provisions of this Code shall take effect on the sixteenth day after publication
in the Official Gazette or in at least daily newspapers of general circulation.
Orders and directives issued by the Commission pursuant to said rules and
regulations shall be furnished by personal delivery to accredited political
parties within forty-eight hours of issuance and shall take effect immediately
upon receipt.
In case of conflict between rules, regulations, orders or directives of the
Commission in the exercise of its constitutional powers and those issued by
any other administrative office or agency of the government concerning the
same matter relative to elections, the former shall prevail.
(d) Summon the parties to a controversy pending before it, issue subpoena
and subpoena duces tecum, and take testimony in any investigation or hearing
before it, and delegate such power to any officer of the Commission who shall
be a member of the Philippine Bar. In case of failure of a witness to attend,
the Commission, upon proof of service of the subpoena to said witnesses, may
issue a warrant to arrest witness and bring him before the Commission or the
officer before whom his attendance is required.
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Any controversy submitted to the Commission shall, after compliance with the
requirements of due process, be immediately heard and decided by it within
sixty days from submission thereof. No decision or resolution shall be rendered
by the Commission either en banc or by division unless taken up in a formal
session properly convened for the purpose.
The Commission may, when necessary, avail of the assistance of any national
or local law enforcement agency and/or instrumentality of the government to
execute under its direct and immediate supervision any of its final decisions,
orders, instructions or rulings.
(e) Punish contempts provided for in the Rules of Court in the same procedure
and with the same penalties provided therein. Any violation of any final and
executory decision, order or ruling of the Commission shall constitute
contempt thereof.
(f) Enforce and execute its decisions, directives, orders and instructions which
shall have precedence over those emanating from any other authority, except
the Supreme Court and those issued in habeas corpus proceedings.
(g) Prescribe the forms to be used in the election, plebiscite or referendum.

(h) Procure any supplies, equipment, materials or services needed for the
holding of the election by public bidding: Provided, That, if it finds the
requirements of public bidding impractical to observe, then by negotiations or
sealed bids, and in both cases, the accredited parties shall be duly notified.
(i) Prescribe the use or adoption of the latest technological and electronic
devices, taking into account the situation prevailing in the area and the funds
available for the purpose: Provided, That the Commission shall notify the
authorized representatives of accredited political parties and candidates in
areas affected by the use or adoption of technological and electronic devices
not less than thirty days prior to the effectivity of the use of such devices.
(j) Carry out a continuing and systematic campaign through newspapers of
general circulation, radios and other media forms to educate the public and
fully inform the electorate about election laws, procedures, decisions, and
other matters relative to the work and duties of the Commission and the
necessity of clean, free, orderly and honest electoral processes.
(k) Enlist non-partisan group or organizations of citizens from the civic, youth,
professional, educational, business or labor sectors known for their probity,
impartiality and integrity with the membership and capability to undertake a
coordinated operation and activity to assist it in the implementation of the
provisions of this Code and the resolutions, orders and instructions of the
Commission for the purpose of ensuring free, orderly and honest elections in

19
any constituency. Such groups or organizations shall function under the direct
and immediate control and supervision of the Commission and shall perform
the following specific functions and duties:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
A. Before Election Day:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
1. Undertake an information campaign on salient features of this Code and
help in the dissemination of the orders, decisions and resolutions of the
Commission relative to the forthcoming election.
2. Wage a registration drive in their respective areas so that all citizens of
voting age, not otherwise disqualified by law may be registered.
3. Help cleanse the list of voters of illegal registrants, conduct house-to-house
canvass if necessary, and take the appropriate legal steps towards this end.
4. Report to the Commission violations of the provisions of this Code on the
conduct of the political campaign, election propaganda and electoral
expenditures.
B. On Election Day:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
1. Exhort all registered voters in their respective areas to go to their polling
places and cast their votes.
2. Nominate one watcher for accreditation in each polling place and each place
of canvass who shall have the same duties, functions and rights as the other
watchers of political parties and candidates. Members or units of any citizen
group or organization so designated by the Commission except its lone duly
accredited watcher, shall not be allowed to enter any polling place except to
vote, and shall, if they so desire, stay in an area at least fifty meters away
from the polling place.
3. Report to the peace authorities and other appropriate agencies all instances
of terrorism, intimidation of voters, and other similar attempts to frustrate the
free and orderly casting of votes.
4. Perform such other functions as may be entrusted to such group or
organization by the Commission.
The designation of any group or organization made in accordance herewith
may be revoked by the Commission upon notice and hearing whenever by its
actuations such group or organization has shown partiality to any political
party or candidate, or has performed acts in excess or in contravention of the
functions and duties herein provided and such others which may be granted
by the Commission.

20
(l) Conduct hearings on controversies pending before it in the cities or
provinces upon proper motion of any party, taking into consideration the
materiality and number of witnesses to be presented, the situation prevailing
in the area and the fund available for the purpose.
(m) Fix other reasonable periods for certain pre-election requirements in order
that voters shall not be deprived of their right of suffrage and certain groups
of rights granted them in this Code.
Unless indicated in this Code, the Commission is hereby authorized for fix the
appropriate period for the various prohibited acts enumerated herein,
consistent with the requirements of free, orderly, and honest elections.
Sec. 53. Field offices of the Commission. - The Commission shall have the
following field offices:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(1) Regional Election Office, headed by the Regional Election Director and
assisted by the Assistant Regional Director and such other subordinate officers
or employees as the Commission may appoint.
(2) Provincial Election Office, headed by the Provincial Election Supervisor and
assisted by such other subordinate officers or employees as the Commission
may appoint.
(3) City/Municipal Election Office, headed by the City/Municipal Registrar who
shall be assisted by an election clerk and such other employees as the
Commission may appoint.
The Commission may delegate its powers and functions or order the
implementation or enforcement of its orders, rulings, or decisions through the
heads of its field offices.
Sec. 54. Qualifications. - Only members of the Philippines Bar shall be eligible
for appointment to the position of regional director, assistant regional director,
provincial election supervisor and election registrar: Provided, however, That
if there are no members of the Philippine Bar available for appointment as
election registrar, except in cities and capital towns, graduates of duly
recognized schools of law, liberal arts, education or business administration
who possess the appropriate civil service eligibility may be appointed to said
position.
Sec. 55. Office space. - The local government concerned shall provide a
suitable place for the office of the provincial election supervisor and his staff
and the election registrar and his staff: Provided, That in case of failure of the
local government concerned to provide such suitable place, the provincial
election supervisor or the election registrar, as the case may be, upon prior
authority of the Commission and notice to the local government concerned,

21
may lease another place for office and the rentals thereof shall be chargeable
to the funds of the local government concerned.
Sec. 56. Changes in the composition, distribution or assignment of field
offices. - The Commission may make changes in the composition, distribution
and assignment of field offices, as well as its personnel, whenever the
exigencies of the service and the interest of free, orderly, and honest election
so require: Provided, That such changes shall be effective and enforceable
only for the duration of the election period concerned and shall not affect the
tenure of office of the incumbents of positions affected and shall not constitute
a demotion, either in rank or salary, nor result in change of status: and
Provided, further, That there shall be no changes in the composition,
distribution or assignment within thirty days before election, except for cause
and after due notice and hearing, and that in no case shall a regional or
assistant regional director be assigned to a region; a provincial election
supervisor to a province; or a city or municipal election registrar to a city or
municipality, where he and/or his spouse are related to any candidate within
the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity as the case may be.
Sec. 57. Measures to ensure enforcement. - For the effective enforcement of
the provisions of this Code, the Commission is further vested and charged with
the following powers, duties and responsibilities:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
1. To issue search warrants after examination under oath or affirmation of the
complainant and the witnesses
2. To stop any illegal election activity, or confiscate, tear down, and stop any
unlawful, libelous, misleading or false election propaganda, after due notice
and hearing.
3. To inquire into the financial records of candidates and any organization or
group of persons, motu proprio or upon written representation for probable
cause by any candidate or group of persons or qualified voter, after due notice
and hearing.
For purposes of this section, the Commission may avail itself of the assistance
of the Commission on Audit, the Central Bank, the National Bureau of
Investigation, the Bureau of Internal Revenue, the Armed Forces of the
Philippines, the Integrated National Police of the Philippines, barangay
officials, and other agencies of the government.
Sec. 58. Disqualifications of members of the Commission. - The chairman and
members of the Commission shall be subject to the canons of judicial ethics
in the discharge of their functions.

22
No chairman or commissioner shall sit in any case in which he has manifested
bias or prejudice for or against or antagonism against any party thereto and
in connection therewith, or in any case in which he would be disqualified under
the Rules of Court. If it be claimed that the chairman or a commissioner is
disqualified as above provided, the party objecting to his competency may file
his objection in writing with the Commission stating the ground therefor. The
official concerned shall continue to participate in the hearing or withdrawn
therefrom in accordance with his determination of the question of his
disqualification. The decision shall forthwith be made in writing and filed with
the other papers of the case in accordance with the Rules of Court. If a
disqualification should result in a lack of quorum in the Commission sitting en
banc, the Presiding Justice of the Intermediate Appellate Court shall designate
a justice of said court to sit in said case for the purpose of hearing and reaching
a decision thereon.
Sec. 59. Publication of official ballots and election returns and printing thereof.
- The Commission shall publish at least ten days before an election in a
newspaper of general circulation certified data on the number of official ballots
and election returns and the names and addresses of the printers and the
number printed by each.

ARTICLE VIII.
POLITICAL PARTIES

Sec. 60. Political party. - "Political party" or "party", when used in this Act,
means an organized group of persons pursuing the same ideology, political
ideas or platforms of government and includes its branches and divisions. To
acquire juridical personality, quality it for subsequent accreditation, and to
entitle it to the rights and privileges herein granted to political parties, a
political party shall first be duly registered with the Commission. Any
registered political party that, singly or in coalition with others, fails to obtain
at least ten percent of the votes cast in the constituency in which it nominated
and supported a candidate or candidates in the election next following its
registration shall, after notice and hearing be deemed to have forfeited such
status as a registered political party in such constituency.
Sec. 61. Registration. - Any organized group of persons seeking registration
as a national or regional political party may file with the Commission a verified
petition attaching thereto its constitution and by-laws, platform or program of
government and such other relevant information as may be required by the
Commission. The Commission shall, after due notice and hearing, resolve the
petition within ten days from the date it is submitted for decision.

23
No religious sect shall be registered as a political party and no political party
which seeks to achieve its goal through violence shall be entitled to
accreditation.
Sec. 62. Publication of petition for registration or accreditation. - The
Commission shall require publication of the petition for registration or
accreditation in at least three newspapers of general circulation and shall,
after due notice and hearing, resolve the petition within fifteen days from the
date it is submitted for decision.

ARTICLE IX.
ELIGIBILITY OF CANDIDATES AND CERTIFICATE OF CANDIDACY

Sec. 63. Qualifications for President and Vice-President of the Philippines. - No

person may be elected President unless he is a natural-born citizen of the
Philippines, a registered voter, able to read and write, at least forty years of
age on the day of election, and a resident of the Philippines for at least ten
years immediately preceding such election.
Sec. 64. Qualifications for Members of the Batasang Pambansa. - No person
shall be elected Member of the Batasang Pambansa as provincial, city or
district representative unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines
and, on the day of the election, is at least twenty-five years of age, able to
read and write, a registered voter in the constituency in which he shall be
elected, and a resident thereof for a period of not less than six months
immediately preceding the day of the election.
A sectoral representative shall be a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, able
to read and write, a resident of the Philippines, able to read and write, a
resident of the Philippines for a period of not less than one year immediately
preceding the day of the election, a bona fide member of the sector he seeks
to represent, and in the case of a representative of the agricultural or
industrial labor sector, shall be a registered voter, and on the day of the
election is at least twenty-five years of age. The youth sectoral representative
should at least be eighteen and not be more than twenty-five years of age on
the day of the election: Provided, however, That any youth sectoral
representative who attains the age of twenty-five years during his term shall
be entitled to continue in office until the expiration of his term.
Sec. 65. Qualifications of elective local officials. - The qualifications for elective
provincial, city, municipal and barangay officials shall be those provided for in
the Local Government Code.

24
Sec. 66. Candidates holding appointive office or positions. - Any person
holding a public appointive office or position, including active members of the
Armed Forces of the Philippines, and officers and employees in government-
owned or controlled corporations, shall be considered ipso facto resigned from
his office upon the filing of his certificate of candidacy.
Sec. 67. Candidates holding elective office. - Any elective official, whether
national or local, running for any office other than the one which he is holding
in a permanent capacity, except for President and Vice-President, shall be
considered ipso facto resigned from his office upon the filing of his certificate
of candidacy.
Sec. 68. Disqualifications. - Any candidate who, in an action or protest in which
he is a party is declared by final decision of a competent court guilty of, or
found by the Commission of having (a) given money or other material
consideration to influence, induce or corrupt the voters or public officials
performing electoral functions; (b) committed acts of terrorism to enhance his
candidacy; (c) spent in his election campaign an amount in excess of that
allowed by this Code; (d) solicited, received or made any contribution
prohibited under Sections 89, 95, 96, 97 and 104; or (e) violated any of
Sections 80, 83, 85, 86 and 261, paragraphs d, e, k, v, and cc, subparagraph
6, shall be disqualified from continuing as a candidate, or if he has been
elected, from holding the office. Any person who is a permanent resident of
or an immigrant to a foreign country shall not be qualified to run for any
elective office under this Code, unless said person has waived his status as
permanent resident or immigrant of a foreign country in accordance with the
residence requirement provided for in the election laws.
Sec. 69. Nuisance candidates. - The Commission may motu proprio or upon a
verified petition of an interested party, refuse to give due course to or cancel
a certificate of candidacy if it is shown that said certificate has been filed to
put the election process in mockery or disrepute or to cause confusion among
the voters by the similarity of the names of the registered candidates or by
other circumstances or acts which clearly demonstrate that the candidate has
no bona fide intention to run for the office for which the certificate of candidacy
has been filed and thus prevent a faithful determination of the true will of the
electorate.
Sec. 70. Guest candidacy. - A political party may nominate and/or support
candidates not belonging to it.
Sec. 72. Effects of disqualification cases and priority. - The Commission and
the courts shall give priority to cases of disqualification by reason of violation
of this Act to the end that a final decision shall be rendered not later than
seven days before the election in which the disqualification is sought.

25
Any candidate who has been declared by final judgment to be disqualified shall
not be voted for, and the votes cast for him shall not be counted. Nevertheless,
if for any reason, a candidate is not declared by final judgment before an
election to be disqualified and he is voted for and receives the winning number
of votes in such election, his violation of the provisions of the preceding
sections shall not prevent his proclamation and assumption to office.
Sec. 73. Certificate of candidacy. - No person shall be eligible for any elective
public office unless he files a sworn certificate of candidacy within the period
fixed herein.
A person who has filed a certificate of candidacy may, prior to the election,
withdraw the same by submitting to the office concerned a written declaration
under oath.
No person shall be eligible for more than one office to be filled in the same
election, and if he files his certificate of candidacy for more than one office,
he shall not be eligible for any of them. However, before the expiration of the
period for the filing of certificates of candidacy, the person who was filed more
than one certificate of candidacy may declare under oath the office for which
he desires to be eligible and cancel the certificate of candidacy for the other
office or offices.
The filing or withdrawal of a certificate of candidacy shall not affect whatever
civil, criminal or administrative liabilities which a candidate may have incurred.

Sec. 74. Contents of certificate of candidacy. - The certificate of candidacy

shall state that the person filing it is announcing his candidacy for the office
stated therein and that he is eligible for said office; if for Member of the
Batasang Pambansa, the province, including its component cities, highly
urbanized city or district or sector which he seeks to represent; the political
party to which he belongs; civil status; his date of birth; residence; his post
office address for all election purposes; his profession or occupation; that he
will support and defend the Constitution of the Philippines and will maintain
true faith and allegiance thereto; that he will obey the laws, legal orders, and
decrees promulgated by the duly constituted authorities; that he is not a
permanent resident or immigrant to a foreign country; that the obligation
imposed by his oath is assumed voluntarily, without mental reservation or
purpose of evasion; and that the facts stated in the certificate of candidacy
are true to the best of his knowledge.
Unless a candidate has officially changed his name through a court approved
proceeding, a certificate shall use in a certificate of candidacy the name by
which he has been baptized, or if has not been baptized in any church or
religion, the name registered in the office of the local civil registrar or any

26
other name allowed under the provisions of existing law or, in the case of a
Muslim, his Hadji name after performing the prescribed religious pilgrimage:
Provided, That when there are two or more candidates for an office with the
same name and surname, each candidate, upon being made aware or such
fact, shall state his paternal and maternal surname, except the incumbent
who may continue to use the name and surname stated in his certificate of
candidacy when he was elected. He may also include one nickname or stage
name by which he is generally or popularly known in the locality.
The person filing a certificate of candidacy shall also affix his latest
photograph, passport size; a statement in duplicate containing his bio-data
and program of government not exceeding one hundred words, if he so
desires.
Sec. 75. Filing and distribution of certificate of candidacy. - The certificate of
candidacy shall be filed on any day from the commencement of the election
period but not later than the day before the beginning of the campaign period:
Provided, That in cases of postponement or failure of election under Sections
5 and 6 hereof, no additional certificate of candidacy shall be accepted except
in cases of substitution of candidates as provided under Section 77 hereof.
The certificates of candidacy for President and Vice-President of the Philippines
shall be filed in ten legible copies with the Commission which shall order the
printing of copies thereof for distribution to all polling places. The certificates
of candidacy for the other offices shall be filed in duplicate with the offices
herein below mentioned, together with a number of clearly legible copies equal
to twice the number of polling places in the province, city, district, municipality
or barangay, as the case may be:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(a) For representative in the Batasang Pambansa, with the Commission, the
provincial election supervisor, city election registrar in case of highly urbanized
cities, or an officer designated by the Commission having jurisdiction over the
province, city or representative district who shall send copies thereof to all
polling places in the province, city or district;
(b) For provincial offices, with the provincial election supervisor of the province
concerned who shall send copies thereof to all polling places in the province;
(c) For city and municipal offices, with the city or municipal election registrar
who shall send copies thereof to all polling places in the city or municipality;
and
(d) For punong barangay or kagawad ng sangguniang barangay, the
certificates of candidacy shall be filed in accordance with the provisions of
Section 39 of Article VI of this Code.

27
The duly authorized receiving officer shall immediately send the original copy
of all certificates of candidacy received by him to the Commission.
Sec. 76. Ministerial duty of receiving and acknowledging receipt. - The
Commission, provincial election supervisor, election registrar or officer
designated by the Commission or the board of election inspectors under the
succeeding section shall have the ministerial duty to receive and acknowledge
receipt of the certificate of candidacy.
Sec. 77. Candidates in case of death, disqualification or withdrawal of another.
- If after the last day for the filing of certificates of candidacy, an official
candidate of a registered or accredited political party dies, withdraws or is
disqualified for any cause, only a person belonging to, and certified by, the
same political party may file a certificate of candidacy to replace the candidate
who died, withdrew or was disqualified. The substitute candidate nominated
by the political party concerned may file his certificate of candidacy for the
office affected in accordance with the preceding sections not later than mid-
day of the day of the election. If the death, withdrawal or disqualification
should occur between the day before the election and mid-day of election day,
said certificate may be filed with any board of election inspectors in the
political subdivision where he is a candidate, or, in the case of candidates to
be voted for by the entire electorate of the country, with the Commission.
Sec. 78. Petition to deny due course to or cancel a certificate of candidacy. -
A verified petition seeking to deny due course or to cancel a certificate of
candidacy may be filed by the person exclusively on the ground that any
material representation contained therein as required under Section 74 hereof
is false. The petition may be filed at any time not later than twenty-five days
from the time of the filing of the certificate of candidacy and shall be decided,
after due notice and hearing, not later than fifteen days before the election.

ARTICLE X.
CAMPAIGN AND ELECTION PROPAGANDA

Sec. 79. Definitions. - As used in this Code:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary

(a) The term "candidate" refers to any person aspiring for or seeking an
elective public office, who has filed a certificate of candidacy by himself or
through an accredited political party, aggroupment, or coalition of parties;
(b) The term "election campaign" or "partisan political activity" refers to an
act designed to promote the election or defeat of a particular candidate or

28
candidates to a public office which shall include:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary

(1) Forming organizations, associations, clubs, committees or other

groups of persons for the purpose of soliciting votes and/or undertaking
any campaign for or against a candidate;
(2) Holding political caucuses, conferences, meetings, rallies, parades, or
other similar assemblies, for the purpose of soliciting votes and/or undertaking
any campaign or propaganda for or against a candidate;
(3) Making speeches, announcements or commentaries, or holding interviews
for or against the election of any candidate for public office;
(4) Publishing or distributing campaign literature or materials designed to
support or oppose the election of any candidate; or
(5) Directly or indirectly soliciting votes, pledges or support for or against a
candidate.
The foregoing enumerated acts if performed for the purpose of enhancing the
chances of aspirants for nomination for candidacy to a public office by a
political party, aggroupment, or coalition of parties shall not be considered as
election campaign or partisan election activity.
Public expressions or opinions or discussions of probable issues in a
forthcoming election or on attributes of or criticisms against probable
candidates proposed to be nominated in a forthcoming political party
convention shall not be construed as part of any election campaign or partisan
political activity contemplated under this Article.
Sec. 80. Election campaign or partisan political activity outside campaign
period. - It shall be unlawful for any person, whether or not a voter or
candidate, or for any party, or association of persons, to engage in an election
campaign or partisan political activity except during the campaign period:
Provided, That political parties may hold political conventions or meetings to
nominate their official candidates within thirty days before the commencement
of the campaign period and forty-five days for Presidential and Vice-
Presidential election.
Sec. 81. Intervention of foreigners. - It shall be unlawful for any foreigner,
whether judicial or natural person, to aid any candidate or political party,
directly or indirectly, or take part in or influence in any manner any election,
or to contribute or make any expenditure in connection with any election
campaign or partisan political activity.

29
Sec. 82. Lawful election propaganda. - Lawful election propaganda shall
include:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(a) Pamphlets, leaflets, cards, decals, stickers or other written or printed
materials of a size not more than eight and one-half inches in width and
fourteen inches in length;
(b) Handwritten or printed letters urging voters to vote for or against any
particular candidate;
(c) Cloth, paper or cardboard posters, whether framed or posted, with an area
exceeding two feet by three feet, except that, at the site and on the occasion
of a public meeting or rally, or in announcing the holding of said meeting or
rally, streamers not exceeding three feet by eight feet in size, shall be allowed:
Provided, That said streamers may not be displayed except one week before
the date of the meeting or rally and that it shall be removed within seventy-
two hours after said meeting or rally; or
(d) All other forms of election propaganda not prohibited by this Code as the
Commission may authorize after due notice to all interested parties and
hearing where all the interested parties were given an equal opportunity to be
heard: Provided, That the Commission's authorization shall be published in
two newspapers of general circulation throughout the nation for at least twice
within one week after the authorization has been granted.
Sec. 83. Removal, destruction or defacement of lawful election propaganda
prohibited. - It shall be unlawful for any person during the campaign period to
remove, destroy, obliterate, or in any manner deface or tamper with, or
prevent the distribution of lawful election propaganda.
Sec. 84. Requirements for published or printed election propaganda. - Any
newspaper, newsletter, newsweekly, gazette or magazine advertising,
posters, pamphlets, circulars, handbills, bumper stickers, streamers, simple
list of candidates or any published or printed political matter for or against a
candidate or group of candidates to any public office shall bear and be
identified by the words "paid for by" followed by the true and correct name
and address of the payor and by the words "printed by" followed by the true
and correct name and address of the printer.
Sec. 85. Prohibited forms of election propaganda. - It shall be
unlawful:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(a) To print, publish, post or distribute any poster, pamphlet, circular,
handbill, or printed matter urging voters to vote for or against any candidate
unless they bear the names and addresses of the printer and payor as required
in Section 84 hereof;

30
(b) To erect, put up, make use of, attach, float or display any billboard,
tinplate-poster, balloons and the like, of whatever size, shape, form or kind,
advertising for or against any candidate or political party;
(c) To purchase, manufacture, request, distribute or accept electoral
propaganda gadgets, such as pens, lighters, fans of whatever nature,
flashlights, athletic goods or materials, wallets, shirts, hats, bandanas,
matches, cigarettes and the like, except that campaign supporters
accompanying a candidate shall be allowed to wear hats and/or shirts or T-
shirts advertising a candidate;
(d) To show or display publicly any advertisement or propaganda for or against
any candidate by means of cinematography, audio-visual units or other screen
projections except telecasts which may be allowed as hereinafter provided;
and
(e) For any radio broadcasting or television station to sell or give free of charge
air time for campaign and other political purposes except as authorized in this
Code under the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission
pursuant thereto.
Any prohibited election propaganda gadget or advertisement shall be stopped,
confiscated or torn down by the representative of the Commission upon
specific authority of the Commission.
Sec. 86. Regulation of election propaganda through mass media. - (a) The
Commission shall promulgate rules and regulations regarding the sale of air
time for partisan political purposes during the campaign period to insure the
equal time as to duration and quality in available to all candidates for the same
office or political parties at the same rates or given free of charge; that such
rates are reasonable and not higher than those charged other buyers or users
of air time for non-political purposes; that the provisions of this Code
regarding the limitation of expenditures by candidates and political parties and
contributions by private persons, entities and institutions are effectively
enforced; and to ensure that said radio broadcasting and television stations
shall not unduly allow the scheduling of any program or permit any sponsor
to manifestly favor or oppose any candidate or political party by unduly or
repeatedly referring to or including said candidate and/or political party in
such program respecting, however, in all instances the right of said stations
to broadcast accounts of significant or newsworthy events and views on
matters of public interest.
(b) All contracts for advertising in any newspaper, magazine, periodical or any
form of publication promoting or opposing the candidacy of any person for
public office shall, before its implementation, be registered by said newspaper,

31
magazine, periodical or publication with the Commission. In every case, it
shall be signed by the candidate concerned or by the duly authorized
representative of the political party.
(c) No franchise or permit to operate a radio or television station shall be
granted or issued, suspended or cancelled during the election period.
Any radio or television stations, including that owned or controlled by the
Government, shall give free of charge equal time and prominence to an
accredited political party or its candidates if it gives free of charge air time to
an accredited political party or its candidates for political purposes.
In all instances, the Commission shall supervise the use and employment of
press, radio and television facilities so as to give candidates equal
opportunities under equal circumstances to make known their qualifications
and their stand on public issues within the limits set forth in this Code on
election spending.
Rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission under and by authority
of this section shall take effect on the seventh day after their publication in at
least two daily newspapers of general circulation. Prior to the effectivity of
said rules and regulations, no political advertisement or propaganda for or
against any candidate or political party shall be published or broadcast through
the mass media.
Violation of the rules and regulations of the Commission issued to implement
this section shall be an election offense punishable under Section 264 hereof.
Sec. 87. Rallies, meetings and other political activities. - Subject to the
requirements of local ordinances on the issuance of permits, any political party
supporting official candidates or any candidate individually or jointly with other
aspirants may hold peaceful political rallies, meetings, and other similar
activities during the campaign period: Provided, That all applications for
permits to hold meetings, rallies and other similar political activities, receipt
of which must be acknowledged in writing and which application shall be
immediately posted in a conspicuous place in the city or municipal building,
shall be acted upon in writing by local authorities concerned within three days
after the filing thereof and any application not acted upon within said period
shall be deemed approved: and Provided, further, That denial of any
application for said permit shall be appealable to the provincial election
supervisor or to the Commission whose decision shall be made within forty-
eight hours and which shall be final and executory: Provided, finally, That one
only justifiable ground for denial is a prior written application by any candidate
or political party for the same purpose has been approved.

32
Sec. 88. Public rally. - Any political party or candidate shall notify the election
registrar concerned of any public rally said political party or candidate intends
to organize and hold in the city or municipality, and within seven working days
thereafter submit to the election registrar a statement of expenses incurred
in connection therewith.
Sec. 89. Transportation, food and drinks. - It shall be unlawful for any
candidate, political party, organization, or any person to give or accept, free
of charge, directly or indirectly, transportation, food or drinks or things of
value during the five hours before and after a public meeting, on the day
preceding the election, and on the day of the election; or to give or contribute,
directly or indirectly, money or things of value for such purpose.
Sec. 90. Comelec space. - The Commission shall procure space in at least one
newspaper of general circulation in every province or city: Provided, however,
That in the absence of said newspaper, publication shall be done in any other
magazine or periodical in said province or city, which shall be known as
"Comelec Space" wherein candidates can announce their candidacy. Said
space shall be allocated, free of charge, equally and impartially by the
Commission among all candidates within the area in which the newspaper is
circulated.
Sec. 91. Comelec poster area. - Whenever practicable, the Commission shall
also designate and provide for a common poster are in strategic places in each
town wherein candidates can announce and further their candidacy through
posters, said space to be likewise allocated free of charge, equally and
impartially by the Commission among all the candidates concerned.
Sec. 92. Comelec time. - The Commission shall procure radio and television
time to be known as "Comelec Time" which shall be allocated equally and
impartially among the candidates within the area of coverage of all radio and
television stations. For this purpose, the franchise of all radio broadcasting
and television station are hereby amended so as to provide radio television
time, free of charge, during the period of the campaign.
Sec. 93. Comelec information bulletin. - The Commission shall cause the
printing, and supervise the dissemination of bulletins to be known as "Comelec
Bulletin" which shall be of such size as to adequately contain the picture, bio-
data and program of government of every candidate. Said bulletin shall be
disseminated to the voters or displayed in such places as to give due
prominence thereto. Any candidate may reprint at his expense, any "Comelec
Bulletin" upon prior authority of the Commission: Provided, That the printing
of the names of the different candidates with their bio-data must be in
alphabetical order irrespective of party affiliation.

33
 ARTICLE XI.
ELECTORAL CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXPENDITURES

Sec. 94. Definitions. - As used in this Article:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary

(a) The term "contribution" includes a gift, donation, subscription, loan,
advance or deposit of money or anything of value, or a contract, promise or
agreement to contribute, whether or not legally enforceable, made for the
purpose of influencing the results of the elections but shall not include services
rendered without compensation by individuals volunteering a portion or all of
their time in behalf of a candidate or political party. It shall also include the
use of facilities voluntarily donated by other persons, the money value of
which can be assessed based on the rates prevailing in the area.
(b) The term "expenditure" includes the payment or delivery of money of
anything of value, or a contract, promise or agreement to make an
expenditure, for the purpose of influencing the results of the election. It shall
also include the use of facilities personally owned by the candidate, the money
value of the use of which can be assessed based on the rates prevailing in the
area.
(c) The term "person" includes an individual, partnership, committee,
association, corporation, and any other organization or group of persons.
Sec. 95. Prohibited contributions. - No contribution for purposes of partisan
political activity shall be made directly or indirectly by any of the
following:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(a) Public or private financial institutions: Provided, however, That nothing
herein shall prevent the making of any loan to a candidate or political party
by any such public or private financial institutions legally in the business of
lending money, and that the loan is made in accordance with laws and
regulations and in the ordinary course of business;
(b) Natural and juridical persons operating a public utility or in possession of
or exploiting any natural resources of the nation;
(c) Natural and juridical persons who hold contracts or sub-contracts to supply
the government or any of its divisions, subdivisions or instrumentalities, with
goods or services or to perform construction or other works;
(d) Natural and juridical persons who have been granted franchises,
incentives, exemptions, allocations or similar privileges or concessions by the
government or any of its divisions, subdivisions or instrumentalities, including
government-owned or controlled corporations;

34
(e) Natural and juridical persons who, within one year prior to the date of the
election, have been granted loans or other accommodations in excess of
P100,000 by the government or any of its divisions, subdivisions or
instrumentalities including government-owned or controlled corporations;
(f) Educational institutions which have received grants of public funds
amounting to no less than P100,000.00;
(g) Officials or employees in the Civil Service, or members of the Armed Forces
of the Philippines; and
(h) Foreigners and foreign corporations.
It shall be unlawful for any person to solicit or receive any contribution from
any of the persons or entities enumerated herein.
Sec. 96. Soliciting or receiving contributions from foreign sources. - It shall be
unlawful for any person, including a political party or public or private entity
to solicit or receive, directly or indirectly, any aid or contribution of whatever
form or nature from any foreign national, government or entity for the
purposes of influencing the results of the election.
Sec. 97. Prohibited raising of funds. - It shall be unlawful for any person to
hold dances, lotteries, cockfights, games, boxing bouts, bingo, beauty
contests, entertainments, or cinematographic, theatrical or other
performances for the purpose of raising funds for an election campaign or for
the support of any candidate from the commencement of the election period
up to and including election day; or for any person or organization, whether
civic or religious, directly or indirectly, to solicit and/or accept from any
candidate for public office, or from his campaign manager, agent or
representative, or any person acting in their behalf, any gift, food,
transportation, contribution or donation in cash or in kind from the
commencement of the election period up to and including election day;
Provided, That normal and customary religious stipends, tithes, or collections
on Sundays and/or other designated collection days, are excluded from this
prohibition.
Sec. 98. True name of contributor required. - No person shall make any
contribution in any name except his own nor shall any candidate or treasurer
of a political party receive a contribution or enter or record the same in any
name other than that of the person by whom it was actually made.
Sec. 99. Report of contributions. - Every person giving contributions to any
candidate, treasurer of the party, or authorized representative of such
candidate or treasurer shall, not later than thirty days after the day of the
election, file with the Commission a report under oath stating the amount of

35
each contribution, the name of the candidate, agent of the candidate or
political party receiving the contribution, and the date of the contribution.
Sec. 100. Limitations upon expenses of candidates. - No candidate shall spend
for his election campaign an aggregate amount exceeding one peso and fifty
centavos for every voter currently registered in the constituency where he
filed his candidacy: Provided, That the expenses herein referred to shall
include those incurred or caused to be incurred by the candidate, whether in
cash or in kind, including the use, rental or hire of land, water or aircraft,
equipment, facilities, apparatus and paraphernalia used in the campaign:
Provided, further, That where the land, water or aircraft, equipment, facilities,
apparatus and paraphernalia used is owned by the candidate, his contributor
or supporter, the Commission is hereby empowered to assess the amount
commensurate with the expenses for the use thereof, based on the prevailing
rates in the locality and shall be included in the total expenses incurred by the
candidate.
Sec. 101. Limitations upon expenses of political parties. - A duly accredited
political party may spend for the election of its candidates in the constituency
or constituencies where it has official candidates an aggregate amount not
exceeding the equivalent of one peso and fifty centavos for every voter
currently registered therein. Expenses incurred by branches, chapters, or
committees of such political party shall be included in the computation of the
total expenditures of the political party.
Expenses incurred by other political parties shall be considered as expenses
of their respective individual candidates and subject to limitation under
Section 100 of this Code.
Sec. 102. Lawful expenditures. - To carry out the objectives of the preceding
sections, no candidate or treasurer of a political party shall, directly or
indirectly, make any expenditure except for the following
purposes:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(a) For travelling expenses of the candidates and campaign personnel in the
course of the campaign and for personal expenses incident thereto;
(b) For compensation of campaigners, clerks, stenographers, messengers,
and other persons actually employed in the campaign;
(c) For telegraph and telephone tolls, postage, freight and express delivery
charges;
(d) For stationery, printing and distribution of printed matters relative to
candidacy;
(e) For employment of watchers at the polls;

36
(f) For rent, maintenance and furnishing of campaign headquarters, office or
place of meetings;
(g) For political meetings and rallies and the use of sound systems, lights and
decorations during said meetings and rallies;
(h) For newspaper, radio, television and other public advertisements;
(i) For employment of counsel, the cost of which shall not be taken into
account in determining the amount of expenses which a candidate or political
party may have incurred under Section 100 and 101 hereof;
(j) For copying and classifying list of voters, investigating and challenging the
right to vote of persons registered in the lists the costs of which shall not be
taken into account in determining the amount of expenses which a candidate
or political party may have incurred under Sections 100 and 101 hereof; or
(k) For printing sample ballots in such color, size and maximum number as
may be authorized by the Commission and the cost of such printing shall not
be taken into account in determining the amount of expenses which a
candidate or political party may have incurred under Sections 100 and 101
hereof.
Sec. 103. Persons authorized to incur election expenditures. - No person,
except the candidate, the treasurer of a political party or any person
authorized by such candidate or treasurer, shall make any expenditure in
support of or in opposition to any candidate or political party. Expenditures
duly authorized by the candidate or the treasurer of the party shall be
considered as expenditures of such candidate or political party.
The authority to incur expenditures shall be in writing, copy of which shall be
furnished the Commission signed by the candidate or the treasurer of the
party and showing the expenditures so authorized, and shall state the full
name and exact address of the person so designated.
Sec. 104. Prohibited donations by candidates, treasurers of parties or their
agents. - No candidate, his or her spouse or any relative within the second
civil degree of consanguinity or affinity, or his campaign manager, agent or
representative shall during the campaign period, on the day before and on the
day of the election, directly or indirectly, make any donation, contribution or
gift in cash or in kind, or undertake or contribute to the construction or repair
of roads, bridges, school buses, puericulture centers, medical clinics and
hospitals, churches or chapels cement pavements, or any structure for public
use or for the use of any religious or civic organization: Provided, That normal
and customary religious dues or contributions, such as religious stipends,
tithes or collections on Sundays or other designated collection days, as well

37
as periodic payments for legitimate scholarships established and school
contributions habitually made before the prohibited period, are excluded from
the prohibition.
The same prohibition applies to treasurers, agents or representatives of any
political party.
Sec. 105. Accounting by agents of candidate or treasurer. - Every person
receiving contributions or incurring expenditures by authority of the candidate
or treasurer of the party shall, on demand by the candidate or treasurer of the
party and in any event within five days after receiving such contribution or
incurring such expenditure, render to the candidate or the treasurer of the
party concerned, a detailed account thereof with proper vouchers or official
receipts.
Sec. 106. Records of contributions and expenditures. - (a) It shall be the duty
of every candidate, treasurer of the political party and person acting under
the authority of such candidate or treasurer to issue a receipt for every
contribution received and to obtain and keep a receipt stating the particulars
of every expenditure made.
(b) Every candidate and treasurer of the party shall keep detailed, full, and
accurate records of all contributions received and expenditures incurred by
him and by those acting under his authority, setting forth therein all
information required to be reported.
(c) Every candidate and treasurer of the party shall be responsible for the
preservation of the records of contributions and expenditures, together with
all pertinent documents, for at least three years after the holding of the
election to which they pertain and for their production for inspection by the
Commission or its duly authorized representative, or upon presentation of a
subpoena duces tecum duly issued by the Commission. Failure of the
candidate or treasurer to preserve such records or documents shall be deemed
prima facie evidence of violation of the provisions of this Article.
Sec. 107. Statement of contributions and expenditures. - Every candidate and
treasurer of the political party shall, not later than seven days, or earlier than
ten days before the day of the election, file in duplicate with the office
indicated in the following section, full, true and itemized, statement of all
contributions and expenditures in connection with the election.
Within thirty days after the day of the election, said candidate and treasurer
shall also file in duplicate a supplemental statement of all contribution and
expenditures not included in the statement filed prior to the day of the
election.

38
Sec. 108. Place for filing statements. - The statements of contributions and
expenditures shall be filed as follows:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(a) Those of candidates for President and Vice-President, with the
Commission.
(b) Those of candidates for Members of the Batasang Pambansa, with the
provincial election supervisor concerned, except those of candidates in the
National Capital Region which shall be filed with the regional election director
of said region.
(c) Those of candidates for provincial offices, with the provincial election
supervisor concerned.
(d) Those of candidates for city, municipal and barangay offices, with the
election registrar concerned.
If the statement is sent by mail, it shall be by registered mail, and the date
on which it was registered with the post office may be considered as the filing
date thereof if confirmed on the same date by telegram or radiogram
addressed to the office or official with whom the statement should be filed.
The provincial election supervisors and election registrars concerned shall,
within fifteen days after the last day for the filing of the statements, send to
the Commission duplicate copies of all statements filed with them.
Sec. 109. Form and contents of statement. - The statement shall be in writing,
subscribed and sworn to by the candidate or by the treasurer of the party,
shall be complete as of the date next preceding the date of filing and shall set
forth in detail (a) the amount of contribution, the date of receipt, and the full
name and exact address of the person from whom the contribution was
received; (b) the amount of every expenditure, the date thereof, the full name
and exact address of the person to whom payment was made, and the purpose
of the expenditure; (c) any unpaid obligation, its nature and amount, and to
whom said obligation is owing; and (d) such other particulars which the
Commission may require.
If the candidate or treasurer of the party has received no contribution, made
no expenditure, or has no pending obligation, the statement shall reflect such
fact.
Sec. 110. Preservation and inspection of statements. - All statements of
contributions and expenditures shall be kept and preserved at the office where
they are filed and shall constitute part of the public records thereof for three
years after the election to which they pertain. They shall not be removed
therefrom except upon order of the Commission or of a competent court and
shall, during regular office hours, be subject and open to inspection by the

39
public. The officer in-charge thereof, shall, on demand, furnish certified copies
of any statement upon payment of the fee prescribed under Section 270
hereof.
It shall be the duty of the Commission to examine all statements of
contributions and expenditures of candidates and political parties to determine
compliance with the provisions of this Article.
Sec. 111. Effect of failure to file statement. - In addition to other sanctions
provided in this Code, no person elected to any public office shall enter upon
the duties of his office until he has filed the statement of contributions and
expenditures herein required.
The same prohibition shall apply if the political party which nominated the
winning candidate fails to file the statements required herein within the period
prescribed by this Code.
Sec. 112. Report of contractor and business firms. - Every person or firm to
whom any electoral expenditure is made shall, within thirty days after the day
of the election, file with the Commission a report setting forth the full names
and exact addresses of the candidates, treasurers of political parties, and
other persons incurring such expenditures, the nature or purpose of each
expenditure, the date and costs thereof, and such other particulars as the
Commission may require. The report shall be signed and sworn to by the
supplier or contractor, or in case of a business firm or association, by its
president or general manager.
It shall be the duty of such person or firm to whom an electoral expenditure
is made to require every agent of a candidate or of the treasurer of a political
party to present written authority to incur electoral expenditures in behalf of
such candidate or treasurer, and to keep and preserve at its place of business,
subject to inspection by the Commission or its authorized representatives,
copies of such written authority, contracts, vouchers, invoices and other
records and documents relative to said expenditures for a period of three years
after the date of the election to which they pertain.
It shall be unlawful for any supplier, contractor or business firm to enter into
contract involving election expenditures with representatives of candidates or
political parties without such written authority.

ARTICLE XII.
REGISTRATION OF VOTERS

Sec. 113. Permanent List of Voters. - Any provision of Presidential Decree No.

40
1896 to the contrary notwithstanding, the list of voters prepared and used in
the election of Members of the Batasang Pambansa on May 14, 1984, with
such additions, cancellations and corrections as may hereafter be made in
accordance with the provisions of this Code, shall constitute the permanent
list of voters in each city or municipality, as the case may be, until 1996.
For purposes of the next following election, the Commission, through the
election registrars, shall assign the proper precincts and polling places to the
registered voters in said list. Written notice of any such change shall be made
to the affected voters within two weeks therefrom.
Sec. 114. Renewal of the Permanent List. - The list of voters prepared in
accordance with the preceding section shall be renewed in nineteen hundred
and ninety-six and every twelve years thereafter.
Sec. 115. Necessity of Registration. - In order that a qualified elector may
vote in any election, plebiscite or referendum, he must be registered in the
permanent list of voters for the city or municipality in which he resides.
Sec. 116. Who may be registered in the list. - All persons having complied
with the requisites herein prescribed for the registration of voters shall be
registered in the list, provided they possess all the qualifications and none of
the disqualifications of a voter. Those who failed to register in the election of
1984, for any reason whatsoever, may register in accordance with the
provisions of this Code. Any person who may not have on the date of
registration the age or period of residence required may also be registered
upon proof that on the date of the election, plebiscite or referendum he shall
have such qualifications.
Sec. 117. Qualifications of a voter. - Every citizen of the Philippines, not
otherwise disqualified by law, eighteen years of age or over, who shall have
resided in the Philippines for one year and in the city or municipality wherein
he proposes to vote for at least six months immediately preceding the election,
may be registered as a voter.
Any person who transfers residence to another city, municipality or country
solely by reason of his occupation; profession; employment in private or public
service; educational activities; work in military or naval reservations; service
in the army, navy or air force; the constabulary or national police force; or
confinement or detention in government institutions in accordance with law,
shall be deemed not to have lost his original residence.
Sec. 118. Disqualifications. - The following shall be disqualified from
voting:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary

41
(a) Any person who has been sentenced by final judgment to suffer
imprisonment for not less than one year, such disability not having been
removed by plenary pardon or granted amnesty: Provided, however, That any
person disqualified to vote under this paragraph shall automatically reacquire
the right to vote upon expiration of five years after service of sentence.
(b) Any person who has been adjudged by final judgment by competent court
or tribunal of having committed any crime involving disloyalty to the duly
constituted government such as rebellion, sedition, violation of the anti-
subversion and firearms laws, or any crime against national security, unless
restored to his full civil and political rights in accordance with law: Provided,
That he shall regain his right to vote automatically upon expiration of five
years after service of sentence.
(c) Insane or incompetent persons as declared by competent authority.
Sec. 119. Preparation of the permanent list of voters. - For the preparation of
the permanent list of voters in nineteen hundred and ninety-six and every
twelve years thereafter, the board of election inspectors referred to in Article
XIV hereof of each election precinct shall hold four meetings on the seventh
Saturday, seventh Sunday, sixth Saturday and sixth Sunday preceding the
date of the regular election to be held. At these meetings the board shall
prepare eight copies of the list of voters of the precinct wherein it shall register
the electors applying for registration.
Sec. 120. Preparation of the list before other regular elections. - For the
preparation of the list before other regular elections, the board of election
inspectors of each election precinct shall meet in the polling place on the
seventh and sixth Saturdays before the day of the election. At these meetings,
the board shall prepare and certify eight copies of the list of voters of the
corresponding precinct transferring thereto the names of the voters appearing
in the list used in the preceding election and including therein such new
qualified voters as may apply for registration, as provided in Section 126
hereof.
Sec. 121. Preparation of the list before any special election, plebiscite or
referendum. - For the preparation of the list of voters before a special election,
plebiscite or referendum, the board of elections inspectors of each election
precinct shall hold a meeting in the polling place on the second Saturday
following the day of the proclamation calling such election. At this meeting the
board shall transfer the names of the voters appearing in the list used in the
preceding election and enter those of the newly registered voters.
Sec. 122. Transfer of names of voters from the permanent list to the current
one. - The transfer of the names of the voters of the precinct already

42
registered in the list used in the preceding election to the list to be made as
provided for in the two preceding sections is a ministerial duty of the board,
and any omission or error in copying shall be corrected motu proprio, or upon
petition of the interested party, without delay and in no case beyond three
days from the time such error is noticed; and if the board should refuse, the
interested party may apply for such correction to the proper municipal or
metropolitan trial court which shall decide the case without delay and in no
case beyond three days from the date the petition is filed. The decision of the
proper municipal or metropolitan trial court shall be final and unappealable in
whatever form or manner.
To facilitate the transfer of names of voters, the election registrar shall deliver
the book of voters to the board of election inspectors on the day before the
registration of voters, to be returned after the last day of registration.
Sec. 123. Cancellation and exclusion in the transfer of names. - In transferring
the names of the voters of the precinct from the list used in the preceding
election to the current list, the board shall exclude those who have applied for
the cancellation of their registration, those who have died, those who did not
vote in the immediately preceding two successive regular elections, those who
have been excluded by court orders issued in accordance with the provisions
of this Code, and those who have been disqualified, upon motion of any
member of the board or of any elector or watcher, upon satisfactory proof to
the board and upon summons to the voter in cases of disqualification. The
motion shall be decided by the board without delay and in no case beyond
three days from its filing. Should the board deny the motion, or fail to act
thereon within the period herein fixed, the interested party may apply for such
exclusion to the municipal or metropolitan trial court which shall decide the
petition without delay and in no case beyond three days from the date the
petition is filed. The decision of the court shall be final. The poll clerk shall
keep a record of these exclusions and shall furnish three copies thereof to the
election registrar who shall, in turn keep one copy and send the two other
copies thereof to the provincial election supervisor and the Commission, to be
attached by them to the permanent list under their custody.
Sec. 124. Meeting to close the list of voters. - The board of election inspectors
shall also meet on the second Saturday immediately preceding the day of the
regular election, or on the second day immediately preceding the day of the
special election, plebiscite or referendum whether it be Sunday or a legal
holiday, for the purpose of making such inclusions, exclusions, and corrections
as may be or may have been ordered by the courts, stating opposite every
name so corrected, added, or cancelled, the date of the order and the court
which issued the same; and for the consecutive numbering of the voters of
the election precinct.

43
Should the board fail to include in the list of voters any person ordered by
competent court to be so included, said person shall, upon presentation of a
certified copy of the order of inclusion and upon proper identification, be
allowed by the board to vote.
Should the board fail to exclude from the list of voters any person ordered by
the court to be so excluded, the board shall not permit said person to vote
upon presentation to it by any interested party of a certified copy of the order
of exclusion.
Sec. 125. Re-registration. - A voter who is registered in the permanent list of
voters need not register anew for subsequent elections unless he transfer
residence to another city or municipality, or his registration has been cancelled
on the ground of disqualification and such disqualification has been lifted or
removed. Likewise a voter whose registration has been cancelled due to failure
to vote in the preceding regular election may register anew in the city or
municipality where he is qualified to vote.
Sec. 126. Registration of voters. - On the seventh and sixth Saturdays before
a regular election or on the second Saturday following the day of the
proclamation calling for a new special election, plebiscite or referendum, any
person desiring to be registered as a voter shall accomplish in triplicate before
the board of election inspectors a voter's affidavit in which shall be stated the
following data:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(a) Name, surname, middle name, maternal surname;
(b) Date and place of birth;
(c) Citizenship;
(d) Periods of residence in the Philippines and in the place of registration;
(e) Exact address with the name of the street and house number or in case
there is none, a brief description of the locality and the place;
(f) A statement that the applicant has not been previously registered,
otherwise he shall be required to attach a sworn application for cancellation
of his previous registration; and
(g) Such other information or data which may be required by the Commission.
The voter's affidavit shall also contain three specimens of the applicant's
signature and clear and legible prints of his left and right hand thumbmarks
and shall be sworn to and filed together with four copies of the latest
identification photograph to be supplied by the applicant.

44
The oath of the applicant shall include a statement that he does not have any
of the disqualifications of a voter and that he has not been previously
registered in the precinct or in any other precinct.
Before the applicant accomplishes his voter's affidavit, the board of election
inspectors shall appraise the applicant of the qualifications and
disqualifications prescribed by law for a voter. It shall also see to it that the
accomplished voter's affidavit contain all the data therein required and that
the applicant's specimen signatures, the prints of his left and right hand
thumbmarks and his photograph are properly affixed in each of the voter's
affidavit.
Sec. 127. Illiterate or disabled applicants. - The voter's affidavit of an illiterate
or physically disabled person may be prepared by any relative within the
fourth civil degree of consanguinity of affinity or by any member of the board
of election inspectors who shall prepare the affidavit in accordance with the
data supplied by the applicant.
Sec. 128. Voter's identification. - The identification card issued to the voter
shall serve and be considered as a document for the identification of each
registered voter: Provided, however, That if the voter's identity is challenged
on election day and he cannot present his voter identification card, his identity
may be established by the specimen signatures, the photograph or the
fingerprints in his voter's affidavit in the book of voters. No extra or duplicate
copy of the voter identification card shall be prepared and issued except upon
authority of the Commission.
Each identification card shall bear the name and the address of the voter, his
date of birth, sex, civil status, occupation, his photograph, thumbmark, the
city or municipality and number of the polling place where he is registered,
his signature, his voter serial number and the signature of the chairman of the
board of election inspectors.
Any voter previously registered under the provisions of Presidential Decree
Numbered 1896 who desires to secure a voter identification card shall, on any
registration day, provide four copies of his latest identification photograph to
the board of election inspectors which upon receipt thereof shall affix one copy
thereof to the voter's affidavit in the book of voters, one copy to the voter
identification card to be issued to the voter and transmit through the election
registrar, one copy each to the provincial election supervisor and the
Commission to be respectively attached to the voter's affidavit in their
respective custody.
Sec. 129. Action by the board of election inspectors. - Upon receipt of the
voter's affidavit, the board of election inspectors shall examine the data
therein. If it finds that the applicant possesses all the qualifications and none
45
of the disqualifications of a voter, he shall be registered. Otherwise, he shall
not be registered.
The name and address of each registered voter shall, immediately upon his
registration, be entered in the proper alphabetical group in the list after which
the voter identification card shall be issued to the voter.
Sec. 130. Provincial central file of registered voters. - There shall be a
provincial central file of registered voters containing the duplicate copies of all
approved voter's affidavits in each city and municipality in the province which
shall be under the custody and supervision of the provincial election
supervisor. The applications shall be compiled alphabetically by precincts so
as to make the file an exact replica of the book of voters in the possession of
the election registrar.
Should the book of voters in the custody of the election registrar be lost or
destroyed at a time so close to the election day that there is no time to
reconstitute the same, the corresponding book of voters in the provincial file
shall be used during the voting.
Sec. 131. National central file of registered voters. - There shall also be a
national central file or registered voters consisting of the triplicate copies of
all approved voters' affidavits in all cities and municipalities which shall be
prepared and kept in the central office of the Commission. The applications in
the national central file shall be compiled alphabetically according to the
surnames of the registered voters regardless of the place of registration.
Sec. 132. Preservation of voter's affidavits. - A copy of the affidavit of each
voter shall be kept by the board of election inspectors until after the election
when it shall deliver the same to the election registrar together with the copies
of the list of voters and other election papers for use in the next election. The
election registrar shall compile the voter's affidavits by precinct alphabetically
in a book of voters. The other two copies shall be sent by the board of election
inspectors on the day following the date of the affidavit to the office of the
provincial election supervisor and the Commission in Manila. The provincial
election supervisor and the Commission shall respectively file and preserve
the voter's affidavits by city and municipality and in alphabetical order of their
surnames. The fourth copy shall be given to the voter as evidence of his
registration.
Sec. 133. Columns in the list of voters. - The list of voters shall be arranged
in columns as follows: In the first column there shall be entered, at the time
of closing of the list before the election, a number opposite the name of each
voter registered, beginning with number one and continuing in consecutive
order until the end of the list. In the second column, the surnames of the
registered voters shall be written in alphabetical order followed by their
46
respective first names, without abbreviations of any kind. In the third column,
the respective residences of such persons with the name of the street and
number, or, in case there be none, a brief description of the locality or place.
In the fourth column, shall be entered the periods of residence in the
Philippines and in the city or municipality. In the fifth column, there shall be
entered on the day of the election the numbers of the ballots which were given
successively to each voter. In the sixth column, the voter shall stamp on the
day of the election the mark of the thumb of his right hand and under said
mark his signature. And in the seventh column, the signature of the chairman
of the board of election inspectors who has handed the ballot to the voter. It
will be sufficient that the fifth, sixth, and seventh columns shall be filled in the
copy of the list under the custody of the board of election inspectors which
shall see to it that the thumbmark is stamped plainly.
Sec. 134. Certificate of the board of election inspectors in the list of voters. -
Upon the adjournment of each meeting for the registration of voters, the board
of election inspectors shall close each alphabetical group of surnames of voters
by writing the dates on the next line in blank, which shall be forthwith signed
by each member, and, before adding a new name on the same page at the
next meeting, it shall write the following: "Added at the _ _ _ meeting"
specifying if it is the second third or fourth meeting of the board, as the case
may be. If the meeting adjourned is the last one for the registration of voters,
the board shall, besides closing each alphabetical group of voters as above
provided, add at the end of the list a certificate (a) of the corrections and
cancellations made in the permanent list, specifying them, or that there has
been none, and (b) of the total number of voters registered in the precinct.
Sec. 135. Publication of the list. - At the first hour of the working day following
the last day of registration of voters, the poll clerk shall deliver to the election
registrar a copy of the list certified to by the board of election inspectors as
provided in the preceding section; another copy, also certified, shall be sent
to the provincial election supervisor of the province, and another, likewise
certified, shall be sent to the Commission, in whose offices said copies shall
be open to public inspection during regular office hours. On the same day and
hour, the poll clerk shall also post a copy of the list in the polling place in a
secure place on the door or near the same at a height of a meter and a half,
where it may be conveniently consulted by the interested parties. The
chairman, poll clerk and the two members of the board of election inspectors
shall each keep a copy of the list which may be inspected by the public in their
residence or office during regular office hours. Immediately after the meeting
for the closing of the list, the poll clerk shall also send a notice to the election
registrar, provincial election supervisor and the Commission regarding the
changes and the numbering above referred to, to be attached to the copy of
the list under their custody.

47
Sec. 136. Challenge of right to register. - Any person applying for registration
may be challenged before the board of election inspectors on any registration
day be any member, voter, candidate, or watcher. The board shall then
examine the challenged person and shall receive such other evidence as it
may deem pertinent, after which it shall decide whether the elector shall be
included in or excluded from the list as may be proper. All challenges shall be
heard and decided without delay, and in no case beyond three days from the
date the challenge was made.
After the question has been decided, the board of election inspectors shall give
to each party a brief certified statement setting forth the challenge and the
decision thereon.
Sec. 137. Power of the board of election inspectors to administer oaths and
issue summons. - For the purpose of determining the right of applicants to be
registered as voters in the list, the board of election inspectors shall have the
same power to administer oaths, to issue subpoena and subpoena duces
tecum and to compel witnesses to appear and testify, but the latter's fees and
expenses incident to the process shall be paid in advance by the party in
whose behalf the summons is issued.
Sec. 138. Jurisdiction in inclusion and exclusion cases. - The municipal and
metropolitan trial courts shall have original and exclusive jurisdiction over all
matters of inclusion and exclusion of voters from the list in their respective
municipalities or cities. Decisions of the municipal or metropolitan trial courts
may be appealed directly by the aggrieved party to the proper regional trial
court within five days from receipt of notice thereof, otherwise said decision
of the municipal or metropolitan trial court shall become final and executory
after said period. The regional trial court shall decide the appeal within ten
days from the time the appeal was received and its decision shall be
immediately final and executory. No motion for reconsideration shall be
entertained by the courts.
Sec. 139. Petition for inclusion of voters in the list. - Any person whose
application for registration has been disapproved by the board of election
inspectors or whose name has been stricken out from the list may apply,
within twenty days after the last registration day, to the proper municipal or
metropolitan trial court, for an order directing the board of election inspectors
to include or reinstate his name in the list, together with the certificate of the
board of election inspectors regarding his case and proof of service of notice
of his petition upon a member of the board of election inspectors with
indication of the time, place, and court before which the petition is to be heard.
Sec. 140. Voters excluded through inadvertence or registered with an
erroneous or misspelled name. - Any voter registered in the permanent list

48
who has not been included in the list prepared for the election or who has
been included therein with a wrong or misspelled name shall have the right to
file an application on any date with the proper municipal or metropolitan trial
court, for an order directing that his name be reinstated in the list or that he
be registered with his correct name. He shall attach to such application a
certified copy of the entry of his name in the list of the preceding election,
together with proof that he has applied without success to the board of election
inspectors and that he has served notice thereof upon a member of the board.
Sec. 141. Change of name of registered voter. - Any previously registered
voter whose name has been changed by reason of marriage or by virtue of a
court order may request the board of election inspectors during any of its
meetings held under this Article that his registration in the list be recorded
under his or her new name.
Sec. 142. Petition for exclusion of voters from the list. - Any registered voter
in a city or municipality may apply at any time except during the period
beginning with the twenty-first day after the last registration day of any
election up to and including election day with the proper municipal or
metropolitan trial court, for the exclusion of a voter from the list, giving the
name and residence of the latter, the precinct in which he is registered, and
the grounds for the challenge. The petition shall be sworn to and accompanied
by proof of notice to the board of election inspectors concerned, if the same
is duly constituted, and to the challenged voters.
Sec. 143. Common rules governing judicial proceedings in the matter of
inclusion, exclusion, and correction of names of voters. - (a) Outside of regular
office hours no petition for inclusion, exclusion, or correction of names of
voters shall be received.
(b) Notices to the members of the board of election inspectors and to
challenged voters shall state the place, day and hour in which such petition
shall be heard, and such notice may be made by sending a copy thereof by
registered mail or by personal delivery or by leaving it in the possession of a
person of sufficient discretion in the residence of the said person or, in the
event that the foregoing procedure is not practicable, by posting a copy in a
conspicuous place in the city hall or municipal building and in two other
conspicuous places within the city or municipality, at least ten days prior to
the day set for the hearing.
In the interest of justice and to afford the challenged voter every opportunity
to contest the petition for exclusion, the court concerned may, when the
challenged voter fails to appear in the first day set for the hearing, order that
notice be effected in such manner and within such period of time as it may

49
decide, which time shall in no case be more than ten days from the day the
respondent is first found in default.
(c) Each petition shall refer to only one precinct.
(d) No costs shall be assessed in these proceedings. However, if the court
should be satisfied that the application has been filed for the sole purpose of
molesting the adverse party and causing him to incur expenses, it may
condemn the culpable party to pay the costs and incidental expenses.
(e) Any candidate who may be affected by the proceedings may intervene and
present his evidence.
(f) The decision shall be based on the evidence presented. If the question is
whether or not the voter is real or fictitious, his non-appearance on the day
set for hearing shall be prima facie evidence that the registered voter is
fictitious. In no case shall a decision be rendered upon a stipulation of facts.
(g) These applications shall be heard and decided without delay. The decision
shall be rendered within six hours after the hearing and within ten days from
the date of its filing in court. Cases appealed to the regional trial court shall
be decided within ten days from receipt of the appeal in the office of the clerk
of court. In any case, the court shall decide these petitions not later than the
day before the election and the decision rendered thereon shall be
immediately final and executory, notwithstanding the provisions of Section
138 on the finality of decisions.
Sec. 144. Canvass to check registration. - The election registrar shall, once
every two years or more often should the Commission deem it necessary in
order to preserve the integrity of the permanent lists of voters, conduct
verification by mail or house-to-house canvass, or both, of the registered
voters of any barangay for purposes of exclusion proceedings.
Sec. 145. Annulment of permanent lists of voters. - Any book of voters not
prepared in accordance with the provisions of this Code or the preparation of
which has been effected with fraud, bribery, forgery, impersonation,
intimidation, force, or any other similar irregularity or which list is statistically
improbable may, upon verified petition of any voter or election registrar, or
duly registered political party, and after notice and hearing, be annulled by
the Commission: Provided, That no order, ruling or decision annulling a book
of voters shall be executed within sixty days before an election.
Sec. 146. Reconstitution of lost or destroyed registration records. - The
Commission shall reconstitute all registration records which have been lost or
destroyed. For this purpose, it shall be the duty of the election registrar to
immediately report to the Commission any case of loss or destruction of

50
approved applications for registration in their custody. Such reconstitution
shall be made with the use of the corresponding copies in the national or
provincial central files of registered voters: Provided, That if this is not
feasible, the registered voter concerned may be summoned by the election
registrar to effect such reconstitution by accomplishing a new application.
Reconstituted forms shall be clearly marked with the word "reconstituted".
The reconstitution of any lost or destroyed application for registration shall
not affect the criminal liability of any person or persons who may be
responsible for such loss or destruction.
Sec. 147. Examination of registration records. - All registration records in the
possession of the city or municipal election registrar, the provincial election
supervisor, and the Commission shall, during regular office hours, be open to
examination by the public with legitimate inquiries for purposes of election.
Law enforcement agencies shall, upon prior authorization by the Commission,
have access to said registration records should the same be necessary to, or
in aid of, their investigative functions and duties, subject to regulations
promulgated by the Commission.
Sec. 148. List of voters. - Fifteen days before the date of the regular election
or special election, referendum or plebiscite, the board of election inspectors
must post the final list of voters in each precinct with each and every page
thereof duly signed or subscribed and sworn to by the members of the board
of election inspectors and that failure to comply with this provision will
constitute an election offense.
Any candidate or authorized representative of an accredited political party,
upon formal request made to an election registrar, shall be entitled to a
certified copy of the most recent list of voters in any precinct, municipality,
city or province, upon payment of a reasonable fee as may be prescribed by
the Commission.

ARTICLE XIII.
PRECINCTS AND POLLING PLACES

Sec. 149. Precincts and their establishment. - The unit of territory for the
purpose of voting is the election precinct, and every barangay as of the
approval of this Act shall have at least one such precinct.
The Commission shall establish all election precincts.

51
The precincts actually established in the preceding regular election shall be
maintained, but the Commission may introduce such adjustments, changes or
new divisions or abolish them, if necessary: Provided, however, That the
territory comprising an election precinct shall not be altered or a new precinct
established within forty-five days before a regular election and thirty days
before a special election or a referendum or plebiscite.
Sec. 150. Arrangements of election precincts. - (a) Each election precinct shall
have, as far as possible not more than three hundred voters and shall
comprise, as far as practicable, contiguous and compact territory.
(b) When it appears that an election precinct contains more than three
hundred voters, the Commission shall, in the interest of orderly election, and
in order to facilitate the casting of votes, be authorized to divide a precinct
not later than one week after the last day of registration of voters. But the
polling place of all the precincts created thereby shall be located in the same
building or compound where the polling place of the original precinct is
located, and if this be not feasible, in a place as close as possible to the polling
place of the original precinct: Provided, however, That the polling place of the
new precinct may be located elsewhere upon written petition of the majority
of the voters of the new precinct: Provided, further, That when a precinct is
divided into two or more precincts, the registered voters shall be included in
the precinct wherein they reside. Every case of alteration of a precinct shall
be duly published by posting a notice of any change in conspicuous location in
the precinct, and in the municipal building or city hall, as the case may be.
(c) A municipality which has been merged with another municipality shall
constitute at least one election precinct, if the distance between the remotest
barangay of the merged municipality and the nearest polling place in the
municipality to which it has been merged shall, by the shortest road, exceed
five kilometers.
(d) An island or group of islands having one hundred and fifty or more voters
shall constitute a precinct.
(e) Any alteration of the election precincts or the establishment of new ones
shall be communicated to the provincial election supervisor, the provincial
superintendent of schools, etc. together with the corresponding maps, which
shall be published as prescribed in the next succeeding sections.
Sec. 151. Publication of maps or precincts. - At least five days before the first
registration day preceding a regular election or special election or a
referendum or a plebiscite, the Commission shall, through its duly authorized
representative, post in the city hall or municipal building and in three other
conspicuous places in the city or municipality and on the door of each polling

52
place, a map of the city or municipality showing its division into precincts with
their respective boundaries and indicating therein all streets and alleys in
populous areas and the location of each polling place.
These maps shall be kept posted until after the election, referendum or
plebiscite.
Sec. 152. Polling place. - A polling place is the building or place where the
board of election inspectors conducts its proceedings and where the voters
shall cast their votes.
Sec. 153. Designation of polling places. - The location of polling places
designated in the preceding regular election shall continue with such changes
as the Commission may find necessary, after notice to registered political
parties and candidates in the political unit affected, if any, and hearing:
Provided, That no location shall be changed within forty-five days before a
regular election and thirty days before a special election or a referendum or
plebiscite, except in case it is destroyed or it cannot be used.
Sec. 154. Requirements for polling places. - Each polling place shall be, as far
as practicable, a ground floor and shall be of sufficient size to admit and
comfortably accommodate forty voters at one time outside the guard rail for
the board of election inspectors. The polling place shall be located within the
territory of the precinct as centrally as possible with respect to the residence
of the voters therein and whenever possible, such location shall be along a
public road. No designation of polling places shall be changed except upon
written petition of the majority of the voters of the precinct or agreement of
all the political parties or by resolution of the Commission upon prior notice
and hearing.
A public building having the requirements prescribed in the preceding
paragraph shall be preferred as polling place.
Sec. 155. Building that shall not be used as polling places. - No polling place
shall be located in a public or private building owned, leased, or occupied by
any candidate or of any person who is related to any candidate within the
fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity, or any officer of the
government or leader of any political party, group or faction, nor in any
building or surrounding premises under the actual control of a private entity,
political party or religious organization. In places where no suitable public
building is available, private school buildings may be used as polling places.
No polling place shall be located within the perimeter of or inside a military or
police camp or reservation or within a prison compound.
Any registered voter, candidate or political party may petition the Commission
not later than thirty days before the first registration day for the transfer of

53
the polling place from the prohibited buildings provided herein. Such petition
shall be heard and decided by the Commission within twenty days from the
filing of the petition. Failure to effect the transfer of the polling place after the
Commission found it to be located in violation of this section within the period
prescribed herein shall be a ground for the postponement of the election in
the polling place concerned.
Sec. 156. Signs and flags of polling places. - On the day of the voting as well
as on any day that the board of election inspectors might meet, every polling
place shall have in front a sign showing the number of the precinct to which it
belongs and the Philippine flag shall be hoisted at the proper height.
Sec. 157. Arrangement and contents of polling places. - Each polling place
shall conform as much as possible to the sketch on the following page.
Sec. 158. Voting booth. - During the voting, there shall be in each polling
place a booth for every twenty voters registered in the precinct. Each booth
shall be open on the side fronting the table for the board of election inspectors
and its three sides shall be closed with walls at least seventy centimeters wide
and two meters high. The upper part shall be covered, if necessary, to
preserve the secrecy of the ballot. Each booth shall have in the background a
shelf so placed that voters can write therein while standing and shall be kept
clearly lighted, by artificial lights, if necessary, during the voting.
The Commission shall post inside each voting booth and elsewhere in the
polling place on the day before the election, referendum and plebiscite a list
containing the names of all the candidates or the issues or questions to be
voted for, and shall at all times during the voting period keep such list posted
in said places.
Sec. 159. Guard rails. - (a) In every polling place there shall be a guard rail
between the voting booths and the table for the board of election inspectors
which shall have separate entrance and exit. The booths shall be so arranged
that they can be accessible only by passing through the guard rail and by
entering through its open side facing the table of the board of election
inspectors.
(b) There shall also be a guard rail for the watchers between the place
reserved for them and the table for the board of election inspectors and at a
distance of not more than fifty centimeters from the latter so that the watchers
may see and read clearly during the counting of the contents of the ballots
and see and count the votes recorded by the board of election inspectors
member on the corresponding tally sheets.
(c) There shall also be, if possible, guard rails separating the table of the board
of election inspectors from the voters waiting for their turn to cast their votes,

54
with entrance and exit to give them orderly access to the table and the booths
during the voting.
(d) The polling place shall be so arranged that the booths, the table, the ballot
boxes and the whole polling place, except what is being written within the
booths, shall be in plain view of the board of election inspectors, the watchers
and other persons who may be within the polling place.
Sec. 160. Ballot boxes. - (a) There shall be in each polling place on the day of
the voting a ballot box one side of which shall be transparent which shall be
set in a manner visible to the voting public containing two compartments,
namely, the compartment for valid ballots which is indicated by an interior
cover painted white and the compartment for spoiled ballots which is indicated
by an interior cover painted red. The boxes shall be uniform throughout the
Philippines and shall be solidly constructed and shall be closed with three
different locks as well as three numbered security locks and such other safety
devices as the Commission may prescribe in such a way that they can not be
opened except by means of three distinct keys and by destroying such safety
devices.
(b) In case of the destruction or disappearance of any ballot box on election
day, the board of election inspectors shall immediately report it to the city or
municipal treasurer who shall furnish another box or receptacle as equally
adequate as possible. The election registrar shall report the incident and the
delivery of a new ballot box by the fastest means of communication on the
same day to the Commission and to the provincial election supervisor.
Sec. 161. Tally boards. - At the beginning of the counting, there shall be placed
within the plain view of the board of election inspectors, watchers and the
public, a tally board where the names of all the registered candidates or the
issues or questions to be voted upon shall be written, and the poll clerk shall
record thereon the votes received by each of them as the chairman of the
board of election inspectors reads the ballot.
Sec. 162. Furnishing of ballot boxes, forms, stationeries and materials for
election. - The Commission shall prepare and furnish the ballot boxes, forms,
stationeries and materials necessary for the registration of voters and the
holding of the election.
The provincial, city and municipal treasurer shall have custody of such election
paraphernalia, supplies and materials as are entrusted to him under the law
or rules of the Commission and shall be responsible for their preservation and
storage, and for any loss, destruction, impairment or damage of any election
equipment, material or document in their possession furnished under this
Code.

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Sec. 163. Inspection of polling places. - Before the day of the election,
referendum or plebiscite, the Chairman of the Commission shall, through its
authorized representatives, see to it that all polling places are inspected and
such omissions and defects as may be found corrected. The Commission shall
keep the reports on these inspections.

ARTICLE XIV.
BOARD OF ELECTION INSPECTORS

Sec. 164. Composition and appointment of board of election inspectors. - At

least thirty days before the date when the voters list is to be prepare in
accordance with this Code, in the case of a regular election or fifteen days
before a special election, the Commission shall, directly or through its duly
authorized representatives, constitute a board of election inspectors for each
precinct to be composed of a chairman and a poll clerk who must be public
school teachers, priority to be given to civil service eligibles, and two
members, each representing the two accredited political parties. The
appointment shall state the precinct to which they are assigned and the date
of the appointment.
Sec. 165. Oath of the members of the board of election inspectors. - The
members of the board of election inspectors, whether permanent, substitute
or temporary, shall before assuming their office, take and sign an oath upon
forms prepared by the Commission, before an officer authorized to administer
oaths or, in his absence, before any other member of the board of election
inspectors present, or in case no one is present, they shall take it before any
voter. The oaths shall be sent immediately to the city or municipal treasurer.
Sec. 166. Qualification of members of the board of election inspectors. - No
person shall be appointed chairman, member or substitute member of the
board of election inspectors unless he is of good moral character and
irreproachable reputation, a registered voter of the city or municipality, has
never been convicted of any election offense or of any other crime punishable
by more than six months of imprisonment, or if he has pending against him
an information for any election offense. He must be able to speak and write
English or the local dialect.
Sec. 167. Disqualification. - No person shall serve as chairman or member of
the board of election inspectors if he is related within the fourth civil degree
of consanguinity or affinity to any member of the board of election inspectors
or to any candidate to be voted for in the polling place or his spouse.

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Sec. 168. Powers of the board of election inspectors. - The board of election
inspectors shall have the following powers and functions:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
a. Conduct the voting and counting of votes in their respective polling places;
b. Act as deputies of the Commission in the supervision and control of the
election in the polling places wherein they are assigned, to assure the holding
of the same in a free, orderly and honest manner; and
c. Perform such other functions prescribed by this Code or by the rules and
regulations promulgated by the Commission.
Sec. 169. Voting privilege of members of board of election inspectors. -
Members of the board of election inspectors and their substitutes may vote in
the polling place where they are assigned on election day: Provided, That they
are registered voters within the province, city or municipality where they are
assigned: and Provided, finally, That their voting in the polling places where
they are not registered voters be noted in the minutes of the board of election
inspectors.
Sec. 170. Relief and substitution of members of the board of election
inspectors. - Public school teachers who are members of the board of election
inspectors shall not be relieved nor disqualified from acting as such members,
except for cause and after due hearing.
Any member of the board of election inspectors, nominated by a political
party, as well as his substitute may at any time be relieved from office and
substituted with another having the legal qualifications upon petition of the
authorized representative of the party upon whose nomination the
appointment was made, and it shall be unlawful to prevent said person from,
or disturb him in, the performance of the duties of the said office. A record of
each case of substitution shall be made, setting forth therein the hour in which
the replaced member has ceased in the office and the status of the work of
the board of election inspectors. Said record shall be signed by each member
of the board of election inspectors including the incoming and outgoing
officers.
Sec. 171. Vacancy in the board of election inspectors. - Every vacancy in the
board of election inspectors shall be filled for the remaining period in the
manner hereinbefore prescribed.
Sec. 172. Proceedings of the board of election inspectors. - The meetings of
the board of election inspectors shall be public and shall be held only in the
polling place authorized by the Commission.
The board of election inspectors shall have full authority to maintain order
within the polling place and its premises, to keep access thereto open and

57
unobstructed, and to enforce obedience to its lawful orders. If any person shall
refuse to obey lawful orders of the board of election inspectors, or shall
conduct himself in a disorderly manner in its presence or within its hearing
and thereby interrupt or disturb its proceedings, the board of election
inspectors may issue an order in writing directing any peace officer to take
such person into custody until the adjournment of the meeting, but such order
shall not be executed as to prevent any person so taken into custody from
exercising his right to vote. Such order shall be executed by any peace officer
to whom it may be delivered, but if none be present, by any other person
deputized by the board of election inspectors in writing.
Sec. 173. Prohibition of political activity. - No member of the board of election
inspectors shall engage in any partisan political activity or take part in the
election except to discharge his duties as such and to vote.
Sec. 174. Functioning of the board of election inspectors. - The board of
election inspectors shall act through its chairman, and shall decide without
delay by majority vote all questions which may arise in the performance of its
duties.
Sec. 175. Temporary vacancies. - If, at the time of the meeting of the board
of election inspectors, any member is absent, or the office is still vacant, the
members present shall call upon the substitute or the absent members to
perform the duties of the latter; and, in case such substitute cannot be found,
the members present shall appoint any non-partisan registered voter of the
polling place to temporarily fill said vacancy until the absent member appears
or the vacancy is filled. In case there are two or more members present, they
shall act jointly: Provided, That if the absent member is one who has been
proposed by an accredited political party, the representative of said political
party or in his absence the watchers belonging to said party shall designate a
registered voter of the polling place to temporarily fill said vacancy: Provided,
further, That in the event or refusal or failure of either representative or
watchers of said political party to make the designation, the members of the
board of election inspectors present shall choose a non-partisan registered
voter of the polling place to fill the vacancy.
Sec. 176. Temporary designation of members of the board of election
inspectors by watchers. - If at the time the board of election inspectors must
meet, all the positions in the board of election inspectors are vacant, or if not
one of the appointed members shall appear, the watchers present may
designate voters of the polling place to act in the place of said members until
the absentees shall appear or the vacancies are filled.
Sec. 177. Arrest of absent members. - The member or members of the board
of election inspectors present may order the arrest of any other member or

58
substitute thereof, who in their judgment, has absented himself with intention
of obstructing the performance of duties of the board of election inspectors.

ARTICLE XV.
WATCHERS

Sec. 178. Official watchers of candidates. - Every registered political party,

coalition of political parties and every independent candidate shall each be
entitled to one watcher in every polling place.
No person shall be appointed watcher unless he is a qualified voter of the city
or municipality, of good reputation and shall not have been convicted by final
judgment of any election offense or of any other crime, must know how to
read and write Pilipino, English, Spanish or any of the prevailing local dialects,
and not related within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity to the
chairman or any member of the board of election inspectors in the polling
place where he seeks appointment as a watcher.
Each candidate, political party or coalition of political parties shall designate
in every province, highly urbanized city or district in the Metropolitan Manila
area, a representative authorized to appoint watchers, furnishing the
provincial election supervisor or the city election registrar, as the case may
be, the names of such representatives. The provincial election supervisors
shall furnish the municipal election registrars and election registrars of
component cities with the list of such representatives.
In the case of Metropolitan Manila, the designation of the persons authorized
to appoint watchers shall be filed with the Commission, which shall furnish the
list of such representatives to the respective city and municipal election
registrars.
Sec. 179. Rights and duties of watchers. - Upon entering the polling place, the
watchers shall present and deliver to the chairman of the board of election
inspectors his appointment, and forthwith, his name shall be recorded in the
minutes with a notation under his signature that he is not disqualified under
the second paragraph of Section 178. The appointments of the watchers shall
bear the personal signature or the facsimile signature of the candidate or the
duly authorized representatives of the political party or coalition of political
parties who appointed him or of organizations authorized by the Commission
under Section 180. The watchers shall have the right to stay in the space
reserved for them inside the polling place. They shall have the right to witness
and inform themselves of the proceedings of the board of election inspectors,
including its proceedings during the registration of voters, to take notes of

59
what they may see or hear, to take photographs of the proceedings and
incidents, if any, during the counting of votes, as well as of election returns,
tally boards and ballot boxes, to file a protest against any irregularity or
violation of law which they believe may have been committed by the board of
election inspectors or by any of its members or by any persons, to obtain from
the board of election inspectors a certificate as to the filing of such protest
and/or of the resolution thereon, to read the ballots after they shall have been
read by the chairman, as well as the election returns after they shall have
been completed and signed by the members of the board of election inspectors
without touching them, but they shall not speak to any member of the board
of election inspectors, or to any voter, or among themselves, in such a manner
as would distract the proceedings, and to be furnished with a certificate of the
number of votes in words and figures cast for each candidate, duly signed and
thumbmarked by the chairman and all the members of the board of election
inspectors. Refusal of the chairman and the members of the board of election
inspectors to sign and furnish such certificate shall constitute an election
offense and shall be penalized under this Code.
Sec. 180. Other watchers. - The duly accredited citizens arm of the
Commission shall be entitled to appoint a watcher in every polling place. Other
civic, religious, professional, business, service, youth and any other similar
organizations, with prior authority of the Commission, shall be entitled
collectively to appoint one watcher in every polling place.

ARTICLE XVI.
OFFICIAL BALLOTS AND ELECTION RETURNS

Sec. 181. Official ballots. - Ballots for national and local offices shall be of
uniform size and color and shall be provided at public expense. They shall be
printed on paper with watermarks or other marks that will readily distinguish
the ballot paper from ordinary paper. Each ballot shall be in the shape of a
strip with stub and detachable coupon containing the serial number of the
ballot, and a space for the thumbmark of the voter on the detachable coupon.
It shall bear at the top on the middle portion thereof the coat of arms of the
Republic of the Philippines, the words "Official Ballot", the name of the city or
the municipality and province in which the election is held, the date of the
election, and the following notice: "Fill out this ballot secretly inside the voting
booth. Do not put any distinctive mark on any part of this ballot."
The ballot shall also contain the names of all the offices to be voted for in the
election, allowing opposite the name of each office, sufficient space or spaces

60
with horizontal lines where the voter may write the name or names of the
individual candidates voted for by him.
There shall not be anything on the reverse side of the ballot.
Ballots in cities and municipalities where Arabic is of general use shall have
each of the titles of offices to be voted printed in Arabic in addition to and
immediately below the English title.
Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this section, the Commission is
hereby empowered to prescribe a different form of ballot to facilitate voting
by illiterate voters and to use or adopt the latest technological and electronic
devices as authorized under paragraph (i) of Section 52 hereof.
Sec. 182. Emergency ballots. - No ballots other than the official ballots shall
be used or counted, except in the event of failure to receive the official ballots
on time, or where there are no sufficient ballots for all registered voters or
where they are destroyed at such time as shall render it impossible to provide
other official ballots, in which cases the city or municipal treasurer shall
provide other ballots which shall be as similar to the official ones as
circumstances will permit and which shall be uniform within each polling place.
The treasurer shall immediately report such action to the Commission.
The municipal treasurer shall not undertake the preparation of the emergency
ballots unless the political parties, candidates and the organizations
collectively authorized by the Commission to designate watchers have been
sufficiently notified to send their representatives and have agreed in writing
to the preparation and use of emergency ballots.
Sec. 183. Requisition of official ballots and election returns. - Official ballots
and election returns shall be printed upon orders of the Commission.
Requisition of official ballots shall be for each city and municipality, at the rate
of one and one-fifth ballots for every registered voter in the next preceding
election; and for election returns, at one set thereof for every polling place.
Sec. 184. Printing of official ballots and elections returns. - The official ballots
and election returns shall be printed by the Government Printing Office and/or
the Central Bank printing facilities exclusively, under the exclusive supervision
and control of the Commission which shall determine and provide the
necessary security measures in the printing, storage and distribution thereof.
Each ballot shall be joined by a perforated line to a stub numbered
consecutively, beginning with number "1" in each city and municipality. Each
ballot shall also have at the bottom a detachable coupon bearing the same
number of the stub. Each pad of ballots shall bear on its cover the name of

61
the city or municipality in which the ballots are to be used and the inclusive
serial numbers of the ballots contained therein.
The official ballots shall be bound in separate pads of fifty or one hundred
ballots each as may be required.
The election returns shall be prepared in sets of six copies per set and shall
be numbered consecutively, beginning with number "1" in each city and
municipality. Each set of the election returns shall be printed in such a manner
that will ensure that the entries on the original of the returns are clearly
reproduced on the other copies thereof and shall bear the name of the city or
municipality in which the returns are to be used. For this purposes, the
Commission shall acquire, if necessary, a special kind of carbon paper or
chemically treated paper.
Sec. 185. Sample official ballots. - The Commission shall provide the board of
election inspectors with sample official ballots at the rate of thirty ballots per
polling place. The sample official ballots shall be printed on colored paper, in
all respects like the official ballots but bearing instead the words "Sample
Official Ballot", to be shown to the public and used in demonstrating how to
fill out and fold the official ballots properly. No name of any actual candidate
shall be written on the spaces for voting on the sample official ballots provided
by the Commission, nor shall they be used for voting.
Sec. 186. Distribution of official ballots and election returns. - The official
ballots and the election returns shall be distributed by the Commission to each
city and municipality at the rate of one and one-fifth ballots for every voter
registered in each polling place; and for election returns, at the rate of one
set each for every polling place.
The provincial, city or municipal treasurer shall respectively keep a record of
the quantity and serial numbers of official ballots and election returns
furnished the various provinces, cities, municipalities and polling places, as
the case may be, legible copies of which record shall be furnished the duly
authorized provincial, city or municipal representatives of the ruling party and
the dominant opposition party, and the Commission immediately after the
distribution is made of such official ballots and election returns.
The Commission shall prescribe the use of official delivery receipts to be
signed by the election registrar and the chairman of the board of canvassers
upon receipt of the election returns.
No official ballots or election returns shall be delivered to the board of election
inspectors earlier than the first hour of election day: Provided, however, That
the Commission, after written notice to the registered political parties and the
candidates, may, for justifiable reasons, authorize the delivery of said official

62
ballots and election returns to the board of election inspectors of any particular
polling place at an earlier date.
Sec. 187. Committee on printing, storage, and distribution of official ballots
and election returns. - The Commission shall appoint a committee of five
members, two of whom shall be from among its personnel, the third to be
designated by the Commission on Audit, and the last two to be designated by
the ruling party and the dominant opposition party to act as its representatives
in supervising the printing, storage and distribution of official ballots and
election returns.
Upon the request of any candidate, political party or of civic, religious,
professional, business, service, youth or any similar organizations collectively
designated by the Commission, the latter shall allow any person designated
by any of the former as watcher to observe the proceedings of the committee
on the printing of official ballots and election returns, file objections, if any,
witness the printing and distribution of the ballots and the returns and guard
the premises of the printer.
Sec. 188. Duties of the committee on printing of official ballots and election
returns. - Under such orders or instructions as the Commission may issue,
and in addition to general supervision and control over the printing and
shipment of official ballots and election returns, the committee on printing of
official ballots and election returns shall (a) take charge of the room or rooms
where the paper and paraphernalia used in the printing of official ballots and
election returns are stored and where printed official ballots and election
returns are packed and prepared for shipment, (b) supervise all aspects
relating to the printing, storage and shipment of official ballots and election
returns and report to the Commission any irregularity which they believe may
have been committed, and (c) perform such other related functions as the
Commission may direct.
Sec. 189. Representatives of the registered political parties in the verification
and distribution of official ballots and election returns. - The ruling party and
the dominant opposition party or their respective duly authorized
representatives in the different provinces, cities and municipalities, shall
submit the names of their respective watchers who, together with the
representatives of the Commission and the provincial, city and municipal
treasurer shall verify the contents of the boxes containing the shipment of
official ballots, election returns and sample official ballots received by the said
treasurers. The provincial treasurers shall keep a record of their receipt and
distribution to each municipal treasurer, while the city and municipal treasurer
shall each keep a record of their distribution to the board of election
inspectors.

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 ARTICLE XVII.
CASTING OF VOTES

Sec. 190. Voting hours. - The casting of votes shall start at seven o'clock in
the morning and shall end at three o'clock in the afternoon, except when there
are voters present within thirty meters in front of the polling place who have
not yet cast their votes, in which case the voting shall continue but only to
allow said voters to cast their votes without interruption. The poll clerk shall,
without delay, prepare a complete list containing the names of said voters
consecutively numbered, and the voters so listed shall be called to vote by
announcing each name repeatedly three times in the order in which they are
listed. Any voter in the list who is not present when his name is called out
shall not be permitted to vote.
Sec. 191. Preliminaries to the voting. - (a) The board of election inspectors
shall meet at the polling place at six-thirty o'clock in the morning of election
day and shall have the book of voters containing all the approved applications
of registration of voters pertaining to the polling place, the certified list of
voters, the certified list of candidates, the ballot box, the official ballots,
sufficient indelible pencils or ball pens for the use of the voters, the forms to
be used, and all other materials which may be necessary.
(b) Immediately thereafter, the chairman of the board of election inspectors
shall open the ballot box, empty both of its compartments, exhibit them to all
those present and being empty, lock its interior covers with three padlocks.
(c) The chairman shall forthwith show to the public and the watchers present
the package of official ballots received from the city, or municipal treasurer
duly wrapped and sealed and the number of pads, the serial numbers and the
type forms of the ballots in each pad appearing on the cover, and the book of
voters duly sealed. The board of election inspectors shall then break the seals
of the package of official ballots and the book of voters. The board of election
inspectors shall enter in the minutes the fact that the package of ballots, and
the book of voters were shown to the public with their wrapping and
corresponding seals intact and/or if they find that the wrapping and seals are
broken, such fact must be stated in the minutes as well as the number of pads
and the serial numbers of ballots that they find in the package.
Ballots with separately printed serial numbers shall be deemed spurious and
shall not be utilized by the board of election inspectors unless the Commission
representative shall order their use in writing, stating the reasons therefor.

64
(d) The chairman and the two party members of the board of election
inspectors shall retain in their possession their respective keys to the padlocks
during the voting.
(e) The box shall remain locked until the voting is finished and the counting
begins. However, if it should become necessary to make room for more
ballots, the board of election inspectors may open the box in the presence of
the whole board of election inspectors and the watchers, and the chairman
shall press down with his hands the ballots contained therein without removing
any of them, after which the board of election inspectors shall close the box
and lock it with three padlocks as hereinbefore provided.
Sec. 192. Persons allowed in and around the polling place. - During the voting,
no person shall be allowed inside the polling place, except the members of the
board of election inspectors, the watchers, the representatives of the
Commission, the voters casting their votes, the voters waiting for their turn
to get inside the booths whose number shall not exceed twice the number of
booths and the voters waiting for their turn to cast their votes whose number
shall not exceed twenty at any one time. The watchers shall stay only in the
space reserved for them, it being illegal for them to enter places reserved for
the voters or for the board of election inspectors or to mingle and talk with
the voters within the polling place.
It shall be unlawful for any officer or member of the Armed Forces of the
Philippines including the Philippine Constabulary or the Integrated National
Police or peace officer or any armed person belonging to any extra-legal police
agency, special forces, reaction forces, strike forces, home defense units,
barangay tanod, or other similar forces or para-military forces, including
special forces, security guards, special policeman, and all other kinds of armed
or unarmed extra-legal police officers, to enter any polling place, unless it is
his polling place where he will vote but in such case he should immediately
leave the polling place, no policeman or peace officer shall be allowed to enter
or stay inside the polling place except when there is an actual disturbance of
the peace and order therein. However, the board of election inspectors upon
majority vote, if it deems necessary, may make a call in writing, duly entered
in the minutes, for the detail of a policeman or any peace officer for their
protection or for the protection of the election documents and paraphernalia,
in which case, the said policeman or peace officer shall stay outside the polling
place within a radius of thirty meters near enough to be easily called by the
board of election inspectors at any time, but never at the door, and in no case
shall the said policeman or peace officer hold any conversation with any voter
or disturb or prevent or in any manner obstruct the free access of the voters
to the polling place. It shall likewise be unlawful for any barangay official to
enter and stay inside any polling place except to vote or except when serving

65
as a watcher or member of the board of election inspectors, in which case, he
shall leave the polling place immediately after voting.
Sec. 193. Order of voting. - The voters shall vote in the order of their entrance
into the polling place. The voters shall have the right to freely enter the polling
place as soon as they arrive unless there are voters waiting inside, in which
case they shall fall in line in the order of their arrival and shall not crowd
around the table of the board of election inspectors. The voters after having
cast their votes shall immediately depart.
Sec. 194. Manner of obtaining ballots. - The voter shall approach the chairman
and shall give his name and address together with other data concerning his
person. In case any member of the board of election inspectors doubts the
identity of the voter, the board of election inspectors shall check his voter's
identification card or, if he does not have any, the board of election inspectors
shall refer to his photograph and signature in the voter's application for
registration. If the board of election inspectors is satisfied with his identity,
the chairman shall distinctly announce the voter's name in a tone loud enough
to be plainly heard throughout the polling place. If such voter has not been
challenged, or if having been challenged, the question has been decided in his
favor, the voter shall forthwith affix his signature in the proper space in the
voting record, and the chairman shall, after first entering the number of the
ballot in the corresponding space of the voting record, deliver to the voter one
ballot correctly folded. No person other than the chairman shall deliver official
ballots nor shall more than one ballot be delivered at one time.
Sec. 195. Manner of preparing the ballot. - The voter, upon receiving his folded
ballot, shall forthwith proceed to one of the empty voting booths and shall
there fill his ballot by writing in the proper space for each office the name of
the individual candidate for whom he desires to vote.
No voter shall be allowed to enter a booth occupied by another, nor enter the
same accompanied by somebody, except as provided for in the succeeding
section hereof, nor stay therein for a longer time than necessary, nor speak
with anyone other than as herein provided while inside the polling place. It
shall be unlawful to prepare the ballot outside the voting booth, or to exhibit
its contents to any person, or to erase any printing from the ballot, or to
intentionally tear or deface the same or put thereon any distinguishing mark.
It shall likewise be unlawful to use carbon paper, paraffin paper, or other
means for making a copy of the contents of the ballot or make use of any
other means to identify the vote of the voter.
Sec. 196. Preparation of ballots for illiterate and disabled persons. - A voter
who is illiterate or physically unable to prepare the ballot by himself may be
assisted in the preparation of his ballot by a relative, by affinity or

66
consanguinity within the fourth civil degree or if he has none, by any person
of his confidence who belong to the same household or any member of the
board of election inspectors, except the two party members: Provided, That
no voter shall be allowed to vote as illiterate or physically disabled unless it is
so indicated in his registration record: Provided, further, That in no case shall
an assistor assist more than three times except the non-party members of the
board of election inspectors. The person thus chosen shall prepare the ballot
for the illiterate or disabled voter inside the voting booth. The person assisting
shall bind himself in a formal document under oath to fill out the ballot strictly
in accordance with the instructions of the voter and not to reveal the contents
of the ballot prepared by him. Violation of this provision shall constitute an
election offense.
Sec. 197. Spoiled ballots. - If a voter should accidentally spoil or deface a
ballot in such a way that it cannot lawfully be used, he shall surrender if folded
to the chairman who shall note in the corresponding space in the voting record
that said ballot is spoiled. The voter shall then be entitled to another ballot
which the chairman shall give him after announcing the serial number of the
second ballot and recording said serial number in the corresponding spaces in
the voting record. If the second ballot is again spoiled or defaced in such a
way that it cannot lawfully be used, the same shall be surrendered to the
chairman and recorded in the same manner as the first spoiled or defaced
ballot. However, no voter shall change his ballot more than twice.
The spoiled ballot shall, without being unfolded and without removing the
detachable coupon, be distinctly marked with the word "spoiled" and signed
by the board of election inspectors on the endorsement fold thereof and
immediately placed in the compartment for spoiled ballots.
Sec. 198. Voting. - (a) After the voter has filled his ballot he shall fold it in the
same manner as when he received it and return it to the chairman.
(b) In the presence of all the members of the board of election inspectors, he
shall affix his thumbmark on the corresponding space in the coupon, and
deliver the folded ballot to the chairman.
(c) The chairman, in the presence and view of the voter and all the members
of the board of election inspectors, without unfolding the ballot or seeing its
contents, shall verify its number from the voting record where it was
previously entered.
(d) The voter shall fortwith affix his thumbmark by the side of his signature in
the space intended for that purpose in the voting record and the chairman
shall apply silver nitrate and commassie blue on the right forefinger nail or on
any other available finger nail, if there be no forefinger nail.

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(e) The chairman shall sign in the proper space beside the thumbmark of the
voter.
(f) The chairman, after finding everything to be in order, shall then detach the
coupon in the presence of the board of election inspectors and of the voter
and shall deposit the folded ballot in the compartment for valid ballots, and
the detached coupon in the compartment for spoiled ballots.
(g) The voter shall then depart.
Any ballot returned to the chairman whose detachable coupon has been
removed not in the presence of the board of election inspectors and of the
voter, or any ballot whose number does not coincide with the number of the
ballot delivered to the voter, as entered in the voting record, shall be
considered as spoiled and shall be so marked and signed by the members of
the board of election inspectors.
Sec. 199. Challenge of illegal voters. - (a) Any voter, or watcher may challenge
any person offering to vote for not being registered, for using the name of
another or suffering from existing disqualification. In such case, the board of
election inspectors shall satisfy itself as to whether or not the ground for the
challenge is true by requiring proof of registration or the identity of the voter;
and
(b) No voter shall be required to present his voter's affidavit on election day
unless his identity is challenged. His failure or inability to produce his voter's
affidavit upon being challenged, shall not preclude him from voting if his
identity be shown from the photograph, fingerprints, or specimen signatures
in his approved application in the book of voters or if he is identified under
oath by a member of the board of election inspectors and such identification
shall be reflected in the minutes of the board.
Sec. 200. Challenge based on certain illegal acts. - Any voter or watcher may
challenge any voter offering to vote on the ground that the challenged person
has received or expects to receive, has paid, offered or promised to pay, has
contributed, offered or promised to contribute money or anything of value as
consideration for his vote or for the vote of another; that he has made or
received a promise to influence the giving or withholding of any such vote or
that he has made a bet or is interested directly or indirectly in a bet which
depends upon the result of the election. The challenged person shall take a
prescribed oath before the board of election inspectors that he has not
committed any of the acts alleged in the challenge. Upon the taking of such
oath, the challenge shall be dismissed and the challenged voter shall be
allowed to vote, but in case of his refusal to take such oath, the challenge
shall be sustained and he shall not be allowed to vote.

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Sec. 201. Admission of challenged vote immaterial in criminal proceedings. -
The admission of the challenged vote under the two preceding sections shall
not be conclusive upon any court as to the legality of the registration of the
voter challenged or his vote in a criminal action against such person for illegal
registration or voting.
Sec. 202. Record of challenges and oaths. - The poll clerk shall keep a
prescribed record of challenges and oaths taken in connection therewith and
the resolution of the board of election inspectors in each case and, upon the
termination of the voting, shall certify that it contains all the challenges made.
The original of this record shall be attached to the original copy of the minutes
of the voting as provided in the succeeding section.
Sec. 203. Minutes of voting and counting of votes. - The board of election
inspectors shall prepare and sign a statement in four copies setting forth the
following:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
1. The time the voting commenced and ended;
2. The serial numbers of the official ballots and election returns, special
envelopes and seals received;
3. The number of official ballots used and the number left unused;
4. The number of voters who cast their votes;
5. The number of voters challenged during the voting;
6. The names of the watchers present;
7. The time the counting of votes commenced and ended;
8. The number of official ballots found inside the compartment for valid
ballots;
9. The number of valid ballots, if any, retrieved from the compartment for
spoiled ballots;
10. The number of ballots, if any, found folded together;
11. The number of spoiled ballots withdrawn from the compartment for valid
ballots;
12. The number of excess ballots;
13. The number of marked ballots;
14. The number of ballots read and counted;
15. The time the election returns were signed and sealed in their respective
special envelopes;
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16. The number and nature of protests made by watchers; and
17. Such other matters that the Commission may require.
Copies of this statement after being duly accomplished shall be sealed in
separate envelopes and shall be distributed as follows: (a) the original to the
city or municipal election registrar; (b) the second copy to be deposited inside
the compartment for valid ballots of the ballot box; and (c) the third and fourth
copies to the representatives of the accredited political parties.
Sec. 204. Disposition of unused ballots at the close of the voting hours. - The
chairman of the board of election inspectors shall prepare a list showing the
number of unused ballots together with the serial numbers. This list shall be
signed by all the members of the board of election inspectors, after which all
the unused ballots shall be torn halfway in the presence of the members of
the board of election inspectors.
Sec. 205. Prohibition of premature announcement of voting. - No member of
the board of election inspectors shall, before the termination of the voting,
make any announcement as to whether a certain registered voter has already
voted or not, as to how many have already voted or how many so far have
failed to vote, or any other fact tending to show or showing the state of the
polls, nor shall he make any statement at any time, except as witness before
a court, as to how any person voted.

ARTICLE XVIII.
COUNTING OF VOTES

Sec. 206. Counting to be public and without interruption. - As soon as the

voting is finished, the board of election inspectors shall publicly count in the
polling place the votes cast and ascertain the results. The board of election
inspectors shall not adjourn or postpone or delay the count until it has been
fully completed, unless otherwise ordered by the Commission.
The Commission, in the interest of free, orderly, and honest elections, may
order the board of election inspectors to count the votes and to accomplish
the election returns and other forms prescribed under this Code in any other
place within a public building in the same municipality or city: Provided, That
the said public building shall not be located within the perimeter of or inside a
military or police camp or reservation nor inside a prison compound.
Sec. 207. Excess ballots. - Before proceeding to count the votes the board of
election inspectors shall count the ballots in the compartment for valid ballots
without unfolding them or exposing their contents, except so far as to

70
ascertain that each ballot is single, and compare the number of ballots in the
box with the number of voters who have voted. If there are excess ballots,
they shall be returned in the box and thoroughly mixed therein, and the poll
clerk, without seeing the ballots and with his back to the box, shall publicly
draw out as may ballots as may be equal to the excess and without unfolding
them, place them in an envelope which shall be marked "excess ballots" and
which shall be sealed and signed by the members of the board of election
inspectors. The envelope shall be placed in the compartment for valid ballots,
but its contents shall not be read in the counting of votes. If in the course of
the examination ballots are found folded together before they were deposited
in the box, they shall be placed in the envelope for excess ballots. In case
ballots with their detachable coupons be found in the box, such coupons shall
be removed and deposited in the compartment for spoiled ballots, and the
ballots shall be included in the file of valid ballots. If ballots with the words
"spoiled" be found in the box, such ballots shall likewise be placed in the
compartment for spoiled ballots.
Sec. 208. Marked ballots. - The board of election inspectors shall then unfold
the ballots and determine whether there are any marked ballots, and, if any
be found, they shall be placed in an envelope labelled "marked ballots" which
shall be sealed and signed by the members of the board of election inspectors
and placed in the compartment for valid ballots and shall not be counted. A
majority vote of the board of election inspectors shall be sufficient to
determine whether any ballot is marked or not. Non-official ballots which the
board of election inspectors may find, except those which have been used as
emergency ballots, shall be considered as marked ballots.
Sec. 209. Compartment for spoiled ballots. - The ballots deposited in the
compartment for spoiled ballots shall be presumed to be spoiled ballots,
whether or not they contain such notation; but if the board of election
inspectors should find that during the voting any valid ballot was erroneously
deposited in this compartment, or if any ballot separated as excess or marked
had been erroneously deposited therein, the board of election inspectors shall
open said compartment after the voting and before the counting of votes for
the sole purpose of drawing out the ballots erroneously deposited therein. It
shall then prepare and sign a statement of such fact and lock the box with its
three keys immediately thereafter. The valid ballots so withdrawn shall be
mixed with the other valid ballots, and the excess or marked ballots shall be
placed in their proper envelopes which shall for such purposes be opened and
again labelled, sealed, signed and kept as hereinafter provided.
Sec. 210. Manner of counting votes. - The counting of votes shall be made in
the following manner: the board of election inspectors shall unfold the ballots
and form separate piles of one hundred ballots each, which shall be held

71
together with rubber bands, with cardboard of the size of the ballots to serve
as folders. The chairman of the board of election inspectors shall take the
ballots of the first pile one by one and read the names of candidates voted for
and the offices for which they were voted in the order in which they appear
thereon, assuming such a position as to enable all of the watchers to read
such names. The chairman shall sign and affix his right hand thumbmark at
the back of the ballot immediately after it is counted. The poll clerk, and the
third member, respectively, shall record on the election returns and the tally
board or sheet each vote as the names voted for each office are read.
Each vote shall be recorded by a vertical line, except every fifth vote which
shall be recorded by a diagonal line crossing the previous four vertical lines.
One party member shall see to it that the chairman reads the vote as written
on the ballot, and the other shall check the recording of the votes on the tally
board or sheet and the election returns seeing to it that the same are correctly
accomplished. After finishing the first pile of ballots, the board of election
inspectors shall determine the total number of votes recorded for each
candidate, the sum being noted on the tally board or sheet and on the election
returns. In case of discrepancy such recount as may be necessary shall be
made. The ballots shall then be grouped together again as before the reading.
Thereafter, the same procedure shall be followed with the second pile of
ballots and so on successively. After all the ballots have been read, the board
of election inspectors shall sum up the totals recorded for each candidate, and
the aggregate sum shall be recorded both on the tally board or sheet and on
the election returns. It shall then place the counted ballots in an envelope
provided for the purpose, which shall be closed signed and deposited in the
compartment for valid ballots. The tally board or sheet as accomplished and
certified by the board of election inspectors shall not be changed or destroyed
but shall be kept in the compartment for valid ballots.
Sec. 211. Rules for the appreciation of ballots. - In the reading and
appreciation of ballots, every ballot shall be presumed to be valid unless there
is clear and good reason to justify its rejection. The board of election
inspectors shall observe the following rules, bearing in mind that the object of
the election is to obtain the expression of the voter's will:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
1. Where only the firs name of a candidate or only his surname is written, the
vote for such candidate is valid, if there is no other candidate with the same
first name or surname for the same office.
2. Where only the first name of a candidate is written on the ballot, which
when read, has a sound similar to the surname of another candidate, the vote
shall be counted in favor of the candidate with such surname. If there are two
or more candidates with the same full name, first name or surname and one

72
of them is the incumbent, and on the ballot is written only such full name, first
name or surname, the vote shall be counted in favor of the incumbent.
3. In case the candidate is a woman who uses her maiden or married surname
or both and there is another candidate with the same surname, a ballot
bearing only such surname shall be counted in favor of the candidate who is
an incumbent.
4. When two or more words are written on the same line on the ballot, all of
which are the surnames of two or more candidates, the same shall not be
counted for any of them, unless one is a surname of an incumbent who has
served for at least one year in which case it shall be counted in favor of the
latter.
When two or more words are written on different lines on the ballot all of
which are the surnames of two or more candidates bearing the same surname
for an office for which the law authorizes the election of more than one and
there are the same number of such surnames written as there are candidates
with that surname, the vote shall be counted in favor of all the candidates
bearing the surname.
5. When on the ballot is written a single word which is the first name of a
candidate and which is at the same time the surname of his opponent, the
vote shall be counted in favor of the latter.
6. When two words are written on the ballot, one of which is the first name of
the candidate and the other is the surname of his opponent, the vote shall not
be counted for either.
7. A name or surname incorrectly written which, when read, has a sound
similar to the name or surname of a candidate when correctly written shall be
counted in his favor;
8. When a name of a candidate appears in a space of the ballot for an office
for which he is a candidate and in another space for which he is not a
candidate, it shall be counted in his favor for the office for which he is a
candidate and the vote for the office for which he is not a candidate shall be
considered as stray, except when it is used as a means to identify the voter,
in which case, the whole ballot shall be void.
If the word or words written on the appropriate blank on the ballot is the
identical name or surname or full name, as the case may be, of two or more
candidates for the same office none of whom is an incumbent, the vote shall
be counted in favor of that candidate to whose ticket belong all the other
candidates voted for in the same ballot for the same constituency.

73
9. When in a space in the ballot there appears a name of a candidate that is
erased and another clearly written, the vote is valid for the latter.
10. The erroneous initial of the first name which accompanies the correct
surname of a candidate, the erroneous initial of the surname accompanying
the correct first name of a candidate, or the erroneous middle initial of the
candidate shall not annul the vote in favor of the latter.
11. The fact that there exists another person who is not a candidate with the
first name or surname of a candidate shall not prevent the adjudication of the
vote of the latter.
12. Ballots which contain prefixes such as "Sr.", "Mr.", "Datu", "Don", "Ginoo",
"Hon.", "Gob." or suffixes like "Hijo", "Jr.", "Segundo", are valid.
13. The use of the nicknames and appellations of affection and friendship, if
accompanied by the first name or surname of the candidate, does not annul
such vote, except when they were used as a means to identify the voter, in
which case the whole ballot is invalid: Provided, That if the nickname used is
unaccompanied by the name or surname of a candidate and it is the one by
which he is generally or popularly known in the locality, the name shall be
counted in favor of said candidate, if there is no other candidate for the same
office with the same nickname.
14. Any vote containing initials only or which is illegible or which does not
sufficiently identify the candidate for whom it is intended shall be considered
as a stray vote but shall not invalidate the whole ballot.
15. If on the ballot is correctly written the first name of a candidate but with
a different surname, or the surname of the candidate is correctly written but
with different first name, the vote shall not be counted in favor of any
candidate having such first name and/or surname but the ballot shall be
considered valid for other candidates.
16. Any ballot written with crayon, lead pencil, or in ink, wholly or in part,
shall be valid.
17. Where there are two or more candidates voted for in an office for which
the law authorizes the election of only one, the vote shall not be counted in
favor of any of them, but this shall not affect the validity of the other votes
therein.
18. If the candidates voted for exceed the number of those to be elected, the
ballot is valid, but the votes shall be counted only in favor of the candidates
whose names were firstly written by the voter within the spaces provided for
said office in the ballot until the authorized number is covered.

74
19. Any vote in favor of a person who has not filed a certificate of candidacy
or in favor of a candidate for an office for which he did not present himself
shall be considered as a stray vote but it shall not invalidate the whole ballot.
20. Ballots containing the name of a candidate printed and pasted on a blank
space of the ballot or affixed thereto through any mechanical process are
totally null and void.
21. Circles, crosses or lines put on the spaces on which the voter has not voted
shall be considered as signs to indicate his desistance from voting and shall
not invalidate the ballot.
22. Unless it should clearly appear that they have been deliberately put by the
voter to serve as identification marks, commas, dots, lines, or hyphens
between the first name and surname of a candidate, or in other parts of the
ballot, traces of the letter "T", "J", and other similar ones, the first letters or
syllables of names which the voter does not continue, the use of two or more
kinds of writing and unintentional or accidental flourishes, strokes, or strains,
shall not invalidate the ballot.
23. Any ballot which clearly appears to have been filled by two distinct persons
before it was deposited in the ballot box during the voting is totally null and
void.
24. Any vote cast in favor of a candidate who has been disqualified by final
judgment shall be considered as stray and shall not be counted but it shall not
invalidate the ballot.
25. Ballots wholly written in Arabic in localities where it is of general use are
valid. To read them, the board of election inspectors may employ an
interpreter who shall take an oath that he shall read the votes correctly.
26. The accidental tearing or perforation of a ballot does not annul it.
27. Failure to remove the detachable coupon from a ballot does not annul such
ballot.
28. A vote for the President shall also be a vote for the Vice-President running
under the same ticket of a political party, unless the voter votes for a Vice-
President who does not belong to such party.
Sec. 212. Election returns. - The board of election inspectors shall prepare the
election returns simultaneously with the counting of the votes in the polling
place as prescribed in Section 210 hereof. The return shall be prepared in
sextuplicate. The recording of votes shall be made as prescribed in said
section. The entry of votes in words and figures for each candidate shall be
closed with the signature and the clear imprint of the thumbmark of the right

75
hand of all the members, likewise to be affixed in full view of the public,
immediately after the last vote recorded or immediately after the name of the
candidate who did not receive any vote.
The returns shall also show the date of the election, the polling place, the
barangay and the city of municipality in which it was held, the total number
of ballots found in the compartment for valid ballots, the total number of valid
ballots withdrawn from the compartment for spoiled ballots because they were
erroneously placed therein, the total number of excess ballots, the total
number of marked or void ballots, and the total number of votes obtained by
each candidate, writing out the said number in words and figures and, at the
end thereof, the board of election inspectors shall certify that the contents are
correct. The returns shall be accomplished in a single sheet of paper, but if
this is not possible, additional sheets may be used which shall be prepared in
the same manner as the first sheet and likewise certified by the board of
election inspectors.
The Commission shall take steps so that the entries on the first copy of the
election returns are clearly reproduced on the second, third, fourth, fifth, and
sixth copies thereof, and for this purpose the Commission shall use a special
kind of paper.
Immediately upon the accomplishment of the election returns, each copy
thereof shall be sealed in the presence of the watchers and the public, and
placed in the proper envelope, which shall likewise be sealed and distributed
as herein provided.
Any election return with a separately printed serial number or which bears a
different serial number from that assigned to the particular polling place
concerned shall not be canvassed. This is to be determined by the board of
canvassers prior to its canvassing on the basis of the certification of the
provincial, city or municipal treasurer as to the serial number of the election
return assigned to the said voting precinct, unless the Commission shall order
in writing for its canvassing, stating the reason for the variance in serial
numbers.
If the signatures and/or thumbmarks of the members of the board of election
inspectors or some of them as required in this provision are missing in the
election returns, the board of canvassers may summon the members of the
board of election inspectors concerned to complete the returns.
Sec. 213. Proclamation of the result of the election in the polling place. - Upon
the completion of the election returns, the chairman of the board of election
inspectors shall orally and publicly announce the total number of votes
received in the election in the polling place by each and every one of the
candidates, stating their corresponding office.
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Sec. 214. Disposition of election returns. - (1) In a presidential election: the
board of election inspectors shall prepare in handwriting and sign the returns
of the election in sextuplicate in their respective polling place in a form to be
prescribed by the Commission. One copy shall be deposited in the
compartment of the ballot box for valid ballots, and in the case of
municipalities two copies including the original copy shall be handed to the
municipal election registrar who shall immediately deliver the original copy to
the provincial election supervisor and forward the other copy to the
Commission, and one copy each to the authorized representatives of the
accredited political parties. In the case of the cities, the city registrar shall
retain the original copy for submission to the provincial election supervisor,
and forward the other copy to the Commission.
(2) In the election for Members of the Batasang Pambansa: the original of the
election returns shall be delivered to the election registrar of the city or
municipality for transmittal to the chairman of the provincial board of
canvassers, and direct to the chairman of the city or district board of
canvassers in the urbanized cities and the districts of Metropolitan Manila, as
the case may be, for use in the canvass. The second copy shall likewise be
delivered to the election registrar for transmittal to the Commission. The third
copy shall be deposited in the compartment for valid ballots. The fourth copy
shall be delivered to the election registrar who shall use said copy in the
tabulation of the advance results of the election in the city or municipality.
The fifth and sixth copies shall each respectively be delivered to the members
representing political parties represented in the board of election inspectors.
(3) In local elections: the original copy of the election returns shall be
delivered to the city or municipal board of canvassers as a body for its use in
the city of municipal canvass. The second copy shall be delivered to the
election registrar of the city or municipality for transmittal to the provincial
board of canvassers as a body for its use in the provincial canvass. The third
copy shall likewise be delivered to the election registrar for transmittal to the
Commission. The fourth copy shall be deposited in the compartment for valid
ballots. The fifth and sixth copies shall each respectively be delivered to the
members representing the political parties represented in the board of election
inspectors.
The Commission shall promulgate rules for the speedy and safe delivery of the
election returns.
Sec. 215. Board of election inspectors to issue a certificate of the number of
votes polled by the candidates for an office to the watchers. - After the
announcement of the results of the election and before leaving the polling
place, it shall be the duty of the board of election inspectors to issue a
certificate of the number of the votes received by a candidate upon request of
77
the watchers. All the members of the board of election inspectors shall sign
the certificate.
Sec. 216. Alterations and corrections in the election returns. - Any correction
or alteration made in the election, returns by the board of election inspectors
before the announcement of the results of the election in the polling place
shall be duly initialed by all the members thereof.
After the announcement of the results of the election in the polling place has
been made, the board of election inspectors shall not make any alteration or
amendment in any of the copies of the election returns, unless so ordered by
the Commission upon petition of the members of the board of election
inspectors within five days from the date of the election or twenty-four hours
from the time a copy of the election returns concerned is opened by the board
of canvassers, whichever is earlier. The petition shall be accompanied by proof
of service upon all candidates affected. If the petition is by all members of the
board of election inspectors and the results of the election would not be
affected by said correction and none of the candidates affected objects
thereto, the Commission, upon being satisfied of the veracity of the petition
and of the error alleged therein, shall order the board of election inspectors to
make the proper correction on the election returns.
However, if a candidate affected by said petition objects thereto, whether the
petition is filed by all or only a majority of the members of the board of election
inspectors and the results of the election would be affected by the correction
sought to be made, the Commission shall proceed summarily to hear the
petition. If it finds the petition meritorious and there are no evidence or signs
indicating that the identity and integrity of the ballot box have been violated,
the Commission shall order the opening of the ballot box. After satisfying itself
that the integrity of the ballots therein has also been duly preserved, the
Commission shall order the recounting of the votes of the candidates affected
and the proper corrections made on the election returns, unless the correction
sought is such that it can be made without need of opening the ballot box.
Sec. 217. Delivery of the ballot boxes, keys and election supplies and
documents. - Upon the termination of the counting of votes, the board of
election inspectors shall place in the compartment for valid ballots, the
envelopes for used ballots hereinbefore referred to, the unused ballots, the
tally board or sheet, a copy of the election returns, and the minutes of its
proceedings, and then shall lock the ballot box with three padlocks and such
safety devices as the Commission may prescribe. Immediately after the box
is locked, the three keys of the padlocks shall be placed in three separate
envelopes and shall be sealed and signed by all the members of the board of
election inspectors. The authorized representatives of the Commission shall
forthwith take delivery of said envelopes, signing a receipt therefor, and
78
deliver without delay one envelope to the provincial treasurer, another to the
provincial fiscal and the other to the provincial election supervisor.
The ballot box, all supplies of the board of election inspectors and all pertinent
papers and documents shall immediately be delivered by the board of election
inspectors and the watchers to the city or municipal treasurer who shall keep
his office open all night on the day of election if necessary for this purpose,
and shall provide the necessary facilities for said delivery at the expense of
the city or municipality. The book of voters shall be returned to the election
registrar who shall keep it under his custody. The treasurer and the election
registrar, as the case may be, shall on the day after the election require the
members of the board of election inspectors who failed to send the objects
referred to herein to deliver the same to him immediately and acknowledge
receipt thereof in detail.
Sec. 218. Preservation of the voting record. - The voting record of each polling
place shall be delivered to the election registrar who shall have custody of the
same, keeping them in a safe place, until such time that the Commission shall
give instructions on their disposition.
Sec. 219. Preservation of the ballot boxes, their keys and disposition of their
contents. - (a) The provincial election supervisor, the provincial treasurer and
the provincial fiscal shall keep the envelope containing the keys in their
possession intact during the period of three months following the election.
Upon the lapse of this period, unless the Commission has ordered otherwise,
the provincial election supervisor and the provincial fiscal shall deliver to the
provincial treasurer the envelope containing the keys under their custody.
(b) The city and municipal treasurer shall keep the ballot boxes under their
responsibility for three months and stored unopened in a secure place, unless
the Commission orders otherwise whenever said ballot boxes are needed in
any political exercise which might be called within the said period, provided
these are not involved in any election contest or official investigation, or the
Commission or other competent authority shall demand them sooner or shall
order their preservation for a longer time in connection with any pending
contest or investigation. However, upon showing by any candidate that the
boxes will be in danger of being violated if kept in the possession of such
officials, the Commission may order them kept by any other official whom it
may designate. Upon the lapse of said time and if there should be no order to
the contrary, the Commission may authorize the city and municipal treasurer
in the presence of its representative to open the boxes and burn their
contents, except the copy of the minutes of the voting and the election returns
deposited therein which they shall take and keep.

79
(c) In case of calamity or fortuitous event such as fire, flood, storm, or other
similar calamities which may actually cause damage to the ballot boxes and/or
their contents, the Commission may authorize the opening of said ballot boxes
to salvage the ballots and other contents by placing them in other ballot boxes,
taking such other precautionary measures as may be necessary to preserve
such documents.
Sec. 220. Documents and articles omitted or erroneously placed inside the
ballot box. - If after the delivery of the keys of the ballot box to the proper
authorities, the board of election inspectors shall discover that some
documents or articles required to be placed in the ballot box were not placed
therein, the board of election inspectors, instead of opening the ballot box in
order to place therein said documents or articles, shall deliver the same to the
Commission or its duly authorized representatives. In no instance shall the
ballot box be reopened to place therein or take out therefrom any document
or article except to retrieve copies of the election returns which will be needed
in any canvass and in such excepted instances, the members of the board of
election inspectors and watchers of the candidates shall be notified of the time
and place of the opening of said ballot box: Provided, however, That if there
are other copies of the election returns outside of the ballot box which can be
used in canvass, such copies of the election returns shall be used in said
canvass and the opening of the ballot box to retrieve copies of the election
returns placed therein shall then be dispensed with.

ARTICLE XIX.
CANVASS AND PROCLAMATION

Sec. 221. Board of canvassers. - There shall be a board of canvassers for each
province, city, municipality, and district of Metropolitan Manila as
follows:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(a) Provincial board of canvassers. - the provincial board of canvassers shall
be composed of the provincial election supervisor or a senior lawyer in the
regional office of the Commission, as chairman, the provincial fiscal, as vice-
chairman, and the provincial superintendent of schools, and one
representative from each of the ruling party and the dominant opposition
political party in the constituency concerned entitled to be represented, as
members.
(b) City board of canvassers. - the city board of canvassers shall be composed
of the city election registrar or a lawyer of the Commission, as chairman, the
city fiscal and the city superintendent of schools, and one representative from

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each of the ruling party and the dominant opposition political party entitled to
be represented, as members.
(c) District board of canvassers of Metropolitan Manila - the district board of
canvassers shall be composed of a lawyer of the Commission, as chairman,
and a ranking fiscal in the district and the most senior district school
supervisor in the district to be appointed upon consultation with the Ministry
of Justice and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports, respectively, and
one representative from each of the ruling party and the dominant opposition
political party in the constituency concerned, as members.
(d) Municipal board of canvassers. - the municipal board of canvassers shall
be composed of the election registrar or a representative of the Commission,
as chairman, the municipal treasurer, and the district supervisor or in his
absence any public school principal in the municipality and one representative
from each of the ruling party and the dominant opposition political party
entitled to be represented, as members.
(e) Board of canvassers for newly created political subdivisions - the
Commission shall constitute a board of canvassers and appoint the members
thereof for the first election in a newly created province, city or municipality
in case the officials who shall act as members thereof have not yet assumed
their duties and functions.
Sec. 222. Relationship with candidates and other members. - The chairman
and the members of the board of canvassers shall not be related within the
fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity to any of the candidates whose
votes will be canvassed by said board, or to any member of the same board.
Sec. 223. Prohibition against leaving official station. - During the period
beginning election day until the proclamation of the winning candidates, no
member or substitute member of the different boards of canvassers shall be
transferred, assigned or detailed outside of his official station, nor shall he
leave said station without prior authority of the Commission.
Sec. 224. Feigned illness. - Any member of the board of canvassers feigning
illness in order to be substituted on election day until the proclamation of the
winning candidates shall be guilty of an election offense.
Sec. 225. Vote required. - A majority vote of all the members of the board of
canvassers shall be necessary to render a decision.
Sec. 226. Incapacity and substitution of members of boards of
canvassers. - In case of non-availability, absence, disqualification due to
relationship, or incapacity for any cause of the chairman, the Commission shall
designate the provincial or city fiscal to act as chairman. Likewise, in case of

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non-availability, absence, disqualification due to relationship, or incapacity for
any cause, of such designee, the next ranking provincial or city fiscal shall be
designated by the Commission and such designation shall pass to the next in
rank until the designee qualifies. With respect to the other members of the
board of canvassers, the Commission shall appoint as substitute the
provincial, city or municipal officers of other government agencies in the
province, city or municipality, as the case may be, and with respect to the
representatives of the accredited political parties, the Commission shall
appoint as substitutes those nominated by the said political parties.
Sec. 227. Supervision and control over board of canvassers. - The Commission
shall have direct control and supervision over the board of canvassers.
Any member of the board of canvassers may, at any time, be relieved for
cause and substituted motu proprio by the Commission.
Sec. 228. Notice of meeting of the board. - At least five days before the
meeting of the board, the chairman of the board shall give notice to all
members thereof and to each candidate and political party of the date, time
and place of the meeting.
Sec. 229. Manner of delivery and transmittal of election returns. - (a) For the
city and municipal board of canvassers, the copy of the election returns of a
polling place intended for the city or municipal board of canvassers, duly
placed inside a sealed envelope signed and affixed with the imprint of the
thumb of the right hand of all the members of the board of election inspectors,
shall be personally delivered by the members of the board of election
inspectors to the city or municipal board of canvassers under proper receipt
to be signed by all the members thereof.
(b) For the provincial and district boards of canvassers in Metropolitan Manila,
the copy of the election returns of a polling place intended for the provincial
or district board of canvassers in the case of Metropolitan Manila, shall be
personally delivered by the members of the board of election inspectors to the
election registrar for transmittal to the proper board of canvassers under
proper receipt to be signed by all the members thereof.
The election registrar concerned shall place all the returns intended for the
board of canvassers inside a ballot box provided with three padlocks whose
keys shall be kept as follows: one by the election registrar, another by the
representative of the ruling party and the third by the representative of the
dominant political opposition party.
For this purpose, the two political parties shall designate their representatives
whose names shall be submitted to the election registrar concerned on or
before the tenth day preceding the election. The three in possession of the

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keys shall personally transmit the ballot box, properly locked, containing the
election returns to the board of canvassers. Watchers of political parties,
coalition of political parties, and of organizations collectively authorized by the
Commission to designate watchers shall have the right to accompany
transmittal of the ballot boxes containing the election returns.
It shall be unlawful for any person to delay, obstruct, impede or prevent
through force, violence, coercion, intimidation or by any means which vitiates
consent, the transmittal of the election returns or to take away, abscond with,
destroy, deface or mutilate or substitute the election returns or the envelope
or the ballot box containing the election returns or to violate the right of the
watchers.
The watchers of the political parties, coalition of political parties and the
candidates shall have the right to accompany the members of the board of
election inspectors or the election registrar in making the delivery to the
boards of canvassers.
Sec. 230. Safekeeping of transmitted election returns. - The board of
canvassers shall keep the ballot boxes containing the election returns in a safe
and secure room before and after the canvass. The door to the room must be
padlocked by three locks with the keys thereof kept as follows: one with the
chairman, the other with the representative of the ruling party, and the other
with the representative of the dominant opposition political party. The
watchers of candidates, political parties, coalition of political parties and
organization collectively authorized by the Commission to appoint watchers
shall have the right to guard the room. Violation of this right shall constitute
an election offense.
Sec. 231. Canvass by the board. - The board of canvassers shall meet not
later than six o'clock in the afternoon of election day at the place designated
by the Commission to receive the election returns and to immediately canvass
those that may have already been received. It shall meet continuously from
day to day until the canvass is completed, and may adjourn but only for the
purpose of awaiting the other election returns from other polling places within
its jurisdiction. Each time the board adjourns, it shall make a total of all the
votes canvassed so far for each candidate for each office, furnishing the
Commission in Manila by the fastest means of communication a certified copy
thereof, and making available the data contained therein to the mass media
and other interested parties. As soon as the other election returns are
delivered, the board shall immediately resume canvassing until all the returns
have been canvassed.
The respective board of canvassers shall prepare a certificate of canvass duly
signed and affixed with the imprint of the thumb of the right hand of each

83
member, supported by a statement of the votes received by each candidate
in each polling place and, on the basis thereof, shall proclaim as elected the
candidates who obtained the highest number of votes cast in the province,
city, municipality or barangay. Failure to comply with this requirement shall
constitute an election offense.
Subject to reasonable exceptions, the board of canvassers must complete
their canvass within thirty-six hours in municipalities, forty-eight hours in
cities and seventy-two hours in provinces. Violation hereof shall be an election
offense punishable under Section 264 hereof.
With respect to the election for President and Vice-President, the provincial
and city boards of canvassers shall prepare in quintuplicate a certificate of
canvass supported by a statement of votes received by each candidate in each
polling place and transmit the first copy thereof to the Speaker of the Batasang
Pambansa. The second copy shall be transmitted to the Commission, the third
copy shall be kept by the provincial election supervisor or city election
registrar; the fourth and the fifth copies to each of the two accredited political
parties.
Sec. 232. Persons not allowed inside the canvassing room. - It shall be
unlawful for any officer or member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,
including the Philippine Constabulary, or the Integrated National Police or any
peace officer or any armed or unarmed persons belonging to an extra-legal
police agency, special forces, reaction forces, strike forces, home defense
forces, barangay self-defense units, barangay tanod, or of any member of the
security or police organizations of government ministries, commissions,
councils, bureaus, offices, instrumentalities, or government-owned or
controlled corporations or their subsidiaries or of any member of a privately
owned or operated security, investigative, protective or intelligence agency
performing identical or similar functions to enter the room where the
canvassing of the election returns are held by the board of canvassers and
within a radius of fifty meters from such room: Provided, however, That the
board of canvassers by a majority vote, if it deems necessary, may make a
call in writing for the detail of policemen or any peace officers for their
protection or for the protection of the election documents and paraphernalia
in the possession of the board, or for the maintenance of peace and order, in
which case said policemen or peace officers, who shall be in proper uniform,
shall stay outside the room within a radius of thirty meters near enough to be
easily called by the board of canvassers at any time.
Sec. 233. When the election returns are delayed, lost or destroyed. - In case
its copy of the election returns is missing, the board of canvassers shall, by
messenger or otherwise, obtain such missing election returns from the board
of election inspectors concerned, or if said returns have been lost or
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destroyed, the board of canvassers, upon prior authority of the Commission,
may use any of the authentic copies of said election returns or a certified copy
of said election returns issued by the Commission, and forthwith direct its
representative to investigate the case and immediately report the matter to
the Commission.
The board of canvassers, notwithstanding the fact that not all the election
returns have been received by it, may terminate the canvass and proclaim the
candidates elected on the basis of the available election returns if the missing
election returns will not affect the results of the election.
Sec. 234. Material defects in the election returns. - If it should clearly appear
that some requisites in form or data had been omitted in the election returns,
the board of canvassers shall call for all the members of the board of election
inspectors concerned by the most expeditious means, for the same board to
effect the correction: Provided, That in case of the omission in the election
returns of the name of any candidate and/or his corresponding votes, the
board of canvassers shall require the board of election inspectors concerned
to complete the necessary data in the election returns and affix therein their
initials: Provided, further, That if the votes omitted in the returns cannot be
ascertained by other means except by recounting the ballots, the Commission,
after satisfying itself that the identity and integrity of the ballot box have not
been violated, shall order the board of election inspectors to open the ballot
box, and, also after satisfying itself that the integrity of the ballots therein has
been duly preserved, order the board of election inspectors to count the votes
for the candidate whose votes have been omitted with notice thereof to all
candidates for the position involved and thereafter complete the returns.
The right of a candidate to avail of this provision shall not be lost or affected
by the fact that an election protest is subsequently filed by any of the
candidates.
Sec. 235. When election returns appear to be tampered with orfalsified. - If
the election returns submitted to the board of canvassers appear to be
tampered with, altered or falsified after they have left the hands of the board
of election inspectors, or otherwise not authentic, or were prepared by the
board of election inspectors under duress, force, intimidation, or prepared by
persons other than the member of the board of election inspectors, the board
of canvassers shall use the other copies of said election returns and, if
necessary, the copy inside the ballot box which upon previous authority given
by the Commission may be retrieved in accordance with Section 220 hereof.
If the other copies of the returns are likewise tampered with, altered, falsified,
not authentic, prepared under duress, force, intimidation, or prepared by
persons other than the members of the board of election inspectors, the board
of canvassers or any candidate affected shall bring the matter to the attention
85
of the Commission. The Commission shall then, after giving notice to all
candidates concerned and after satisfying itself that nothing in the ballot box
indicate that its identity and integrity have been violated, order the opening
of the ballot box and, likewise after satisfying itself that the integrity of the
ballots therein has been duly preserved shall order the board of election
inspectors to recount the votes of the candidates affected and prepare a new
return which shall then be used by the board of canvassers as basis of the
canvass.
Sec. 236. Discrepancies in election returns. - In case it appears to the board
of canvassers that there exists discrepancies in the other authentic copies of
the election returns from a polling place or discrepancies in the votes of any
candidate in words and figures in the same return, and in either case the
difference affects the results of the election, the Commission, upon motion of
the board of canvassers or any candidate affected and after due notice to all
candidates concerned, shall proceed summarily to determine whether the
integrity of the ballot box had been preserved, and once satisfied thereof shall
order the opening of the ballot box to recount the votes cast in the polling
place solely for the purpose of determining the true result of the count of votes
of the candidates concerned.
Sec. 237. When integrity of ballots is violated. - If upon the opening of the
ballot box as ordered by the Commission under Sections 234, 235 and 236,
hereof, it should appear that there are evidence or signs of replacement,
tampering or violation of the integrity of the ballots, the Commission shall not
recount the ballots but shall forthwith seal the ballot box and order its
safekeeping.
Sec. 238. Canvass of remaining or unquestioned returns to continue. - In
cases under Sections 233, 234, 235 and 236 hereof, the board of canvassers
shall continue the canvass of the remaining or unquestioned election returns.
If, after the canvass of all the said returns, it should be determined that the
returns which have been set aside will affect the result of the election, no
proclamation shall be made except upon orders of the Commission after due
notice and hearing. Any proclamation made in violation hereof shall be null
and void.
Sec. 239. Watchers. - Each candidate, political party or coalition of political
parties shall be entitled to appoint one watcher in the board of canvassers.
The watcher shall have the right to be present at, and take note of, all the
proceedings of the board of canvassers, to read the election returns without
touching them, to file a protest against any irregularity in the election returns
submitted, and to obtain from the board of canvassers a resolution thereon.

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Sec. 240. Election resulting in tie. - Whenever it shall appear from the canvass
that two or more candidates have received an equal and highest number of
votes, or in cases where two or more candidates are to be elected for the
same position and two or more candidates received the same number of votes
for the last place in the number to be elected, the board of canvassers, after
recording this fact in its minutes, shall by resolution, upon five days notice to
all the tied candidates, hold a special public meeting at which the board of
canvassers shall proceed to the drawing of lots of the candidates who have
tied and shall proclaim as elected the candidates who may be favored by luck,
and the candidates so proclaimed shall have the right to assume office in the
same manner as if he had been elected by plurality of vote. The board of
canvassers shall forthwith make a certificate stating the name of the candidate
who had been favored by luck and his proclamation on the basis thereof.
Nothing in this section shall be construed as depriving a candidate of his right
to contest the election.

ARTICLE XX.
PRE-PROCLAMATION CONTROVERSIES

Sec. 241. Definition. - A pre-proclamation controversy refers to any question

pertaining to or affecting the proceedings of the board of canvassers which
may be raised by any candidate or by any registered political party or coalition
of political parties before the board or directly with the Commission, or any
matter raised under Sections 233, 234, 235 and 236 in relation to the
preparation, transmission, receipt, custody and appreciation of the election
returns.
Sec. 242. Commission's exclusive jurisdiction of all pre-proclamation
controversies. - The Commission shall have exclusive jurisdiction of all pre-
proclamation controversies. It may motu proprio or upon written petition, and
after due notice and hearing, order the partial or total suspension of the
proclamation of any candidate-elect or annual partially or totally any
proclamation, if one has been made, as the evidence shall warrant in
accordance with the succeeding sections.
Sec. 243. Issues that may be raised in pre-proclamation controversy. - The
following shall be proper issues that may be raised in a pre-proclamation
controversy:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(a) Illegal composition or proceedings of the board of canvassers;

87
(b) The canvassed election returns are incomplete, contain material defects,
appear to be tampered with or falsified, or contain discrepancies in the same
returns or in other authentic copies thereof as mentioned in Sections 233,
234, 235 and 236 of this Code;
(c) The election returns were prepared under duress, threats, coercion, or
intimidation, or they are obviously manufactured or not authentic; and
(d) When substitute or fraudulent returns in controverted polling places were
canvassed, the results of which materially affected the standing of the
aggrieved candidate or candidates.
Sec. 244. Contested composition or proceedings of the board. - When the
composition or proceedings of the board of canvassers are contested, the
board of canvassers shall, within twenty-four hours, make a ruling thereon
with notice to the contestant who, if adversely affected, may appeal the matter
to the Commission within five days after the ruling with proper notice to the
board of canvassers. After due notice and hearing, the Commission shall
decide the case within ten days from the filing thereof. During the pendency
of the case, the board of canvassers shall suspend the canvass until the
Commission orders the continuation or resumption thereof and citing their
reasons or grounds therefor.
Sec. 245. Contested election returns. - Any candidate, political party or
coalition of political parties, contesting the inclusion or exclusion in the
canvass of any election returns on any of the grounds authorized under this
article or in Sections 234, 235 and 236 of Article XIX shall submit their verbal
objections to the chairman of the board of canvassers at the time the
questioned returns is presented for inclusion or exclusion, which objections
shall be noted in the minutes of the canvassing.
The board of canvassers upon receipt of any such objections shall
automatically defer the canvass of the contested returns and shall proceed to
canvass the rest of the returns which are not contested by any party.
Within twenty-four hours from and after the presentation of a verbal objection,
the same shall be submitted in written form to the board of canvassers.
Thereafter, the board of canvassers shall take up each contested return,
consider the written objections thereto and summarily rule thereon. Said
ruling shall be made oral initially and then reduced to writing by the board
within twenty-four hours from the time the oral ruling is made.
Any party adversely affected by an oral ruling on its/his objection shall
immediately state orally whether it/he intends to appeal said ruling. The said
intent to appeal shall be stated in the minutes of the canvassing. If a party
manifests its intent to appeal, the board of canvassers shall set aside the

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return and proceed to rule on the other contested returns. When all the
contested returns have been ruled upon by it, the board of canvassers shall
suspend the canvass and shall make an appropriate report to the Commission,
copy furnished the parties.
The board of canvassers shall not proclaim any candidate as winner unless
authorized by the Commission after the latter has ruled on the objections
brought to it on appeal by the losing party and any proclamation made in
violation hereof shall be void ab initio, unless the contested returns will not
adversely affect the results of the election.
Sec. 246. Summary proceedings before the Commission. - All pre-
proclamation controversies shall be heard summarily by the Commission after
due notice and hearing, and its decisions shall be executory after the lapse of
five days from receipt by the losing party of the decision of the Commission,
unless restrained by the Supreme Court.
Sec. 247. Partial proclamation. - Notwithstanding the pendency of any pre-
proclamation controversy, the Commission may, motu proprio or upon the
filing of a verified petition and after due notice and hearing, order the
proclamation of other winning candidates whose election will not be affected
by the outcome of the controversy.
Sec. 248. Effect of filing petition to annual or to suspend the proclamation. -
The filing with the Commission of a petition to annual or to suspend the
proclamation of any candidate shall suspend the running of the period within
which to file an election protest or quo warranto proceedings.

ARTICLE XXI.
ELECTION CONTESTS

Sec. 249. Jurisdiction of the Commission. - The Commission shall be the sole
judge of all contests relating to the elections, returns, and qualifications of all
Members of the Batasang Pambansa, elective regional, provincial and city
officials.
Sec. 250. Election contests for Batasang Pambansa, regional, provincial and
city offices. - A sworn petition contesting the election of any Member of the
Batasang Pambansa or any regional, provincial or city official shall be filed
with the Commission by any candidate who has duly filed a certificate of
candidacy and has been voted for the same office, within ten days after the
proclamation of the results of the election.

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Sec. 251. Election contests for municipal offices. - A sworn petition contesting
the election of a municipal officer shall be filed with the proper regional trial
court by any candidate who has duly filed a certificate of candidacy and has
been voted for the same office, within ten days after proclamation of the
results of the election.
Sec. 252. Election contest for barangay offices. - A sworn petition contesting
the election of a barangay officer shall be filed with the proper municipal or
metropolitan trial court by any candidate who has duly filed a certificate of
candidacy and has been voted for the same office, within ten days after the
proclamation of the results of the election. The trial court shall decide the
election protest within fifteen days after the filing thereof. The decision of the
municipal or metropolitan trial court may be appealed within ten days from
receipt of a copy thereof by the aggrieved party to the regional trial court
which shall decide the case within thirty days from its submission, and whose
decisions shall be final.
Sec. 253. Petition for quo warranto. - Any voter contesting the election of any
Member of the Batasang Pambansa, regional, provincial, or city officer on the
ground of ineligibility or of disloyalty to the Republic of the Philippines shall
file a sworn petition for quo warranto with the Commission within ten days
after the proclamation of the results of the election.
Any voter contesting the election of any municipal or barangay officer on the
ground of ineligibility or of disloyalty to the Republic of the Philippines shall
file a sworn petition for quo warranto with the regional trial court or
metropolitan or municipal trial court, respectively, within ten days after the
proclamation of the results of the election.
Sec. 254. Procedure in election contests. - The Commission shall prescribe the
rules to govern the procedure and other matters relating to election contests
pertaining to all national, regional, provincial, and city offices not later than
thirty days before such elections. Such rules shall provide a simple and
inexpensive procedure for the expeditious disposition of election contests and
shall be published in at least two newspapers of general circulation.
However, with respect to election contests involving municipal and barangay
offices the following rules of procedure shall govern:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(a) Notice of the protest contesting the election of a candidate for a municipal
or barangay office shall be served upon the candidate by means of a summons
at the postal address stated in his certificate of candidacy except when the
protestee, without waiting for the summons, has made the court understand
that he has been notified of the protest or has filed his answer hereto;

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(b) The protestee shall answer the protest within five days after receipt of the
summons, or, in case there has been no summons from the date of his
appearance and in all cases before the commencement of the hearing of the
protest or contest. The answer shall deal only with the election in the polling
places which are covered by the allegations of the contest;
(c) Should the protestee desire to impugn the votes received by the protestant
in other polling places, he shall file a counter-protest within the same period
fixed for the answer serving a copy thereof upon the protestant by registered
mail or by personal delivery or through the sheriff;
(d) The protestant shall answer the counter-protest within five days after
notice;
(e) Within the period of five days counted from the filing of the protest any
other candidate for the same office may intervene in the case as other
contestants and ask for affirmative relief in his favor by a petition in
intervention, which shall be considered as another contest, except that it shall
be substantiated within the same proceedings. The protestant or protestee
shall answer the protest in intervention within five days after notice;
(f) If no answer shall be filed to the contest, counter-protest, or to the protest
in intervention, within the time limits respectively fixed, a general denial shall
be deemed to have been entered;
(g) In election contest proceedings, the permanent registry list of voters shall
be conclusive in regard to the question as to who had the right to vote in said
election.
Sec. 255. Judicial counting of votes in election contest. - Where allegations in
a protest or counter-protest so warrant, or whenever in the opinion of the
court the interests of justice so require, it shall immediately order the book of
voters, ballot boxes and their keys, ballots and other documents used in the
election be brought before it and that the ballots be examined and the votes
recounted.
Sec. 256. Appeals. - Appeals from any decision rendered by the regional trial
court under Section 251 and paragraph two, Section 253 hereof with respect
to quo warranto petitions filed in election contests affecting municipal officers,
the aggrieved party may appeal to the Intermediate Appellate Court within
five days after receipt of a copy of the decision. No motion for reconsideration
shall be entertained by the court. The appeal shall be decided within sixty days
after the case has been submitted for decision.
Sec. 257. Decision in the Commission. - The Commission shall decide all
election cases brought before it within ninety days from the date of their

91
submission for decision. The decision of the Commission shall become final
thirty days after receipt of judgment.
Sec. 258. Preferential disposition of contests in courts. - The courts, in their
respective cases, shall give preference to election contests over all other
cases, except those of habeas corpus, and shall without delay, hear and,
within thirty days from the date of their submission for decision, but in every
case within six months after filing, decide the same.
Sec. 259. Actual or compensatory damages. - Actual or compensatory
damages may be granted in all election contests or in quo warranto
proceedings in accordance with law.
Sec. 260. Notice of decisions. - The clerk of court and the corresponding official
in the Commission before whom an election contest or a quo warranto
proceeding has been instituted or where the appeal of said case has been
taken shall notify immediately the President of the Philippines of the final
disposition thereof. In election contests involving provincial, city, municipal,
or barangay offices, notice of such final disposition shall also be sent to the
secretary of the local sanggunian concerned. If the decision be that none of
the parties has been legally elected, said official shall certify such decision to
the President of the Philippines and, in appropriate cases, to the Commission.

ARTICLE XXII.
ELECTION OFFENSES

Sec. 261. Prohibited Acts. - The following shall be guilty of an election

offense:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(a) Vote-buying and vote-selling. -
(1) Any person who gives, offers or promises money or anything of value,
gives or promises any office or employment, franchise or grant, public or
private, or makes or offers to make an expenditure, directly or indirectly, or
cause an expenditure to be made to any person, association, corporation,
entity, or community in order to induce anyone or the public in general to vote
for or against any candidate or withhold his vote in the election, or to vote for
or against any aspirant for the nomination or choice of a candidate in a
convention or similar selection process of a political party.
(2) Any person, association, corporation, group or community who solicits or
receives, directly or indirectly, any expenditure or promise of any office or
employment, public or private, for any of the foregoing considerations.

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(b) Conspiracy to bribe voters. - Two or more persons, whether candidates or
not, who come to an agreement concerning the commission of any violation
of paragraph (a) of this section and decide to commit it.
(c) Wagering upon result of election. - Any person who bets or wagers upon
the outcome of, or any contingency connected with an election. Any money or
thing of value or deposit of money or thing of value situated anywhere in the
Philippines put as such bet or wager shall be forfeited to the government.
(d) Coercion of subordinates. -
(1) Any public officer, or any officer of any public or private corporation or
association, or any head, superior, or administrator of any religious
organization, or any employer or land-owner who coerces or intimidates or
compels, or in any manner influence, directly or indirectly, any of his
subordinates or members or parishioners or employees or house helpers,
tenants, overseers, farm helpers, tillers, or lease holders to aid, campaign or
vote for or against any candidate or any aspirant for the nomination or
selection of candidates.
(2) Any public officer or any officer of any commercial, industrial, agricultural,
economic or social enterprise or public or private corporation or association,
or any head, superior or administrator of any religious organization, or any
employer or landowner who dismisses or threatens to dismiss, punishes or
threatens to punish be reducing his salary, wage or compensation, or by
demotion, transfer, suspension, separation, excommunication, ejectment, or
causing him annoyance in the performance of his job or in his membership,
any subordinate member or affiliate, parishioner, employee or house helper,
tenant, overseer, farm helper, tiller, or lease holder, for disobeying or not
complying with any of the acts ordered by the former to aid, campaign or vote
for or against any candidate, or any aspirant for the nomination or selection
of candidates.
(e) Threats, intimidation, terrorism, use of fraudulent device or other forms of
coercion. - Any person who, directly or indirectly, threatens, intimidates or
actually causes, inflicts or produces any violence, injury, punishment,
damage, loss or disadvantage upon any person or persons or that of the
immediate members of his family, his honor or property, or uses any
fraudulent device or scheme to compel or induce the registration or refraining
from registration of any voter, or the participation in a campaign or refraining
or desistance from any campaign, or the casting of any vote or omission to
vote, or any promise of such registration, campaign, vote, or omission
therefrom.

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(f) Coercion of election officials and employees. - Any person who, directly or
indirectly, threatens, intimidates, terrorizes or coerces any election official or
employee in the performance of his election functions or duties.
(g) Appointment of new employees, creation of new position, promotion, or
giving salary increases. - During the period of forty-five days before a regular
election and thirty days before a special election, (1) any head, official or
appointing officer of a government office, agency or instrumentality, whether
national or local, including government-owned or controlled corporations, who
appoints or hires any new employee, whether provisional, temporary or
casual, or creates and fills any new position, except upon prior authority of
the Commission. The Commission shall not grant the authority sought unless,
it is satisfied that the position to be filled is essential to the proper functioning
of the office or agency concerned, and that the position shall not be filled in a
manner that may influence the election.
As an exception to the foregoing provisions, a new employee may be
appointed in case of urgent need: Provided, however, That notice of the
appointment shall be given to the Commission within three days from the date
of the appointment. Any appointment or hiring in violation of this provision
shall be null and void.
(2) Any government official who promotes, or gives any increase of salary or
remuneration or privilege to any government official or employee, including
those in government-owned or controlled corporations.
(h) Transfer of officers and employees in the civil service. - Any public official
who makes or causes any transfer or detail whatever of any officer or
employee in the civil service including public school teachers, within the
election period except upon prior approval of the Commission.
(i) Intervention of public officers and employees. - Any officer or employee in
the civil service, except those holding political offices; any officer, employee,
or member or the Armed Forces of the Philippines, or any police force, special
forces, home defense forces, barangay self-defense units and all other para-
military units that now exist or which may hereafter be organized who, directly
or indirectly, intervenes in any election campaign or engages in any partisan
political activity, except to vote or to preserve public order, if he is a peace
officer.
(j) Undue influence. - It is unlawful for any person to promise any office or
employment, public or private, or to make or offer to make an expenditure,
directly or indirectly, or to cause an expenditure to be made to any person,
association, corporation or entity, which may induce anyone or the public in
general either to vote or withhold his vote, or to vote for or against any
candidate in any election or any aspirant for the nomination or selection of an
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official candidate in a convention of a political party. It is likewise unlawful for
any person, association, corporation or community, to solicit or receive,
directly or indirectly, any expenditure or promise or any office, or
employment, public or private, for any of the foregoing considerations.
(k) Unlawful electioneering. - It is unlawful to solicit votes or undertake any
propaganda on the day of registration before the board of election inspectors
and on the day of election, for or against any candidate or any political party
within the polling place and with a radius of thirty meters thereof.
(l) Prohibition against dismissal of employees, laborers, or tenants. - No
employee or laborer shall be dismissed, nor a tenant be ejected from his
landholdings for refusing or failing to vote for any candidate of his employer
or landowner. Any employee, laborer or tenant so dismissed or ejected shall
be reinstated and the salary or wage of the employee or laborer, or the share
of the harvest of the tenant, shall be restored to the aggrieved party upon
application to the proper court.
(m) Appointment or use of special policemen, special agents, confidential
agents or the like. - During the campaign period, on the day before and on
election day, any appointing authority who appoints or any person who utilizes
the services of special policemen, special agents, confidential agents or
persons performing similar functions; persons previously appointed as special
policemen, special agents, confidential agents or persons performing similar
functions who continue acting as such, and those who fail to turn over their
firearms, uniforms, insignias and other badges of authority to the proper
officer who issued the same.
At the start of the aforementioned period, the barangay chairman, municipal
mayor, city mayor, provincial governor, or any appointing authority shall
submit to the Commission a complete list of all special policemen, special
agents, confidential agents or persons performing similar functions in the
employ of their respective political subdivisions, with such particulars as the
Commission may require.
(n) Illegal release of prisoners before and after election. - The Director of the
Bureau of Prisons, any provincial warden, the keeper of the jail or the person
or persons required by law to keep prisoners in their custody who illegally
orders or allows any prisoner detained in the national penitentiary, or the
provincial, city or municipal jail to leave the premises thereof sixty days before
and thirty days after the election. The municipal or city warden, the provincial
warden, the keeper of the jail or the person or persons required by law to
keep prisoners in their custody shall post in three conspicuous public places a
list of the prisoners or detention prisoners under their care. Detention
prisoners must be categorized as such.

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(o) Use of public funds, money deposited in trust, equipment, facilities owned
or controlled by the government for an election campaign. - Any person who
uses under any guise whatsoever, directly or indirectly, (1) public funds or
money deposited with, or held in trust by, public financing institutions or by
government offices, banks, or agencies; (2) any printing press, radio, or
television station or audio-visual equipment operated by the Government or
by its divisions, sub-divisions, agencies or instrumentalities, including
government-owned or controlled corporations, or by the Armed Forces of the
Philippines; or (3) any equipment, vehicle, facility, apparatus, or
paraphernalia owned by the government or by its political subdivisions,
agencies including government-owned or controlled corporations, or by the
Armed Forces of the Philippines for any election campaign or for any partisan
political activity.
(p) Deadly weapons. - Any person who carries any deadly weapon in the
polling place and within a radius of one hundred meters thereof during the
days and hours fixed by law for the registration of voters in the polling place,
voting, counting of votes, or preparation of the election returns. However, in
cases of affray, turmoil, or disorder, any peace officer or public officer
authorized by the Commission to supervise the election is entitled to carry
firearms or any other weapon for the purpose of preserving order and
enforcing the law.
(q) Carrying firearms outside residence or place of
business. - Any person who, although possessing a permit to carry firearms,
carries any firearms outside his residence or place of business during the
election period, unless authorized in writing by the Commission: Provided,
That a motor vehicle, water or air craft shall not be considered a residence or
place of business or extension hereof.
This prohibition shall not apply to cashiers and disbursing officers while in the
performance of their duties or to persons who by nature of their official duties,
profession, business or occupation habitually carry large sums of money or
valuables.
(r) Use of armored land, water or air craft. - Any person who uses during the
campaign period, on the day before and on election day, any armored land,
water or air craft, provided with any temporary or permanent equipment or
any other device or contraption for the mounting or installation of cannons,
machine guns and other similar high caliber firearms, including military type
tanks, half trucks, scout trucks, armored trucks, of any make or model,
whether new, reconditioned, rebuilt or remodelled: Provided, That banking or
financial institutions and all business firms may use not more than two
armored vehicles strictly for, and limited to, the purpose of transporting cash,

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gold bullion or other valuables in connection with their business from and to
their place of business, upon previous authority of the Commission.
(s) Wearing of uniforms and bearing arms. - During the campaign period, on
the day before and on election day, any member of security or police
organization of government agencies, commissions, councils, bureaus, offices,
or government-owned or controlled corporations, or privately-owned or
operated security, investigative, protective or intelligence agencies, who
wears his uniform or uses his insignia, decorations or regalia, or bears arms
outside the immediate vicinity of his place of work: Provided, That this
prohibition shall not apply when said member is in pursuit of a person who
has committed or is committing a crime in the premises he is guarding; or
when escorting or providing security for the transport of payrolls, deposits, or
other valuables; or when guarding the residence of private persons or when
guarding private residences, buildings or offices: Provided, further, That in the
last case prior written approval of the Commission shall be obtained. The
Commission shall decide all applications for authority under this paragraph
within fifteen days from the date of the filing of such application.
During the same period, and ending thirty days thereafter any member of the
Armed Forces of the Philippines, special, forces, home defense forces,
barangay self-defense units and all other para-military units that now exist or
which may hereafter be organized who wears his uniform or bears arms
outside the camp, garrison or barracks to which he is assigned or detailed or
outside their homes, in case of members of para-military units, unless (1) the
President of the Philippines shall have given previous authority therefor, and
the Commission notified thereof in writing, or (2) the Commission authorizes
him to do so, which authority it shall give only when necessary to assist it in
maintaining free, orderly and honest elections, and only after notice and
hearing. All personnel of the Armed Forces authorized by the President or the
Commission to bear arms or wear their uniforms outside their camps and all
police and peace officers shall bear their true name, rank and serial number,
if any, stitched in block letters on a white background on the left breast of
their uniform, in letters and numbers of a clearly legible design at least two
centimeters tall, which shall at all times remain visible and uncovered.
During the election period, whenever the Commission finds it necessary for
the promotion of free, orderly, honest and peaceful elections in a specific area,
it shall confiscate or order the confiscation of firearms of any member or
members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, police forces, home defense
forces, barangay self-defense units, and all other para-military units that now
exist, or which may hereafter be organized, or any member or members of
the security or police organization, government ministries, commissions,
councils, bureaus, offices, instrumentalities, or government-owned or

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controlled corporations and other subsidiaries, or of any member or members
of privately owned or operated security, investigative, protective or
intelligence agencies performing identical or similar functions.
(t) Policemen and provincial guards acting as bodyguards or security guards.
- During the campaign period, on the day before and on election day, any
member of the city or municipal police force, any provincial or sub-provincial
guard, any member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, special forces,
home defense forces, barangay self-defense units and all other para-military
units that now exist or which may hereafter be organized who acts as
bodyguard or security guard of any public official, candidate or any other
person, and any of the latter who utilizes the services of the former as
bodyguard or security guard: Provided, That, after due notice and hearing,
when the life and security of a candidate is in jeopardy, the Commission is
empowered to assign at the candidate's choice, any member of the Philippine
Constabulary or the police force of any municipality within the province to act
as his bodyguard or security guard in a number to be determined by the
Commission but not to exceed three per candidate: Provided, however, That
when the circumstances require immediate action, the Commission may issue
a temporary order allowing the assignment of any member of the Philippine
Constabulary or the local police force to act as bodyguard or security guard of
the candidate, subject to confirmation or revocation.
(u) Organization or maintenance of reaction forces, strike forces, or other
similar forces. - Any person who organizes or maintains a reaction force, strike
force or similar force during the election period.
The heads of all reaction forces, strike forces, or similar forces shall, not later
than forty-five days before the election, submit to the Commission a complete
list of all members thereof with such particulars as the Commission may
require.
(v) Prohibition against release, disbursement or expenditure of public funds.
- Any public official or employee including barangay officials and those of
government-owned or controlled corporations and their subsidiaries, who,
during forty-five days before a regular election and thirty days before a special
election, releases, disburses or expends any public funds for:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(1) Any and all kinds of public works, except the following:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary

(a) Maintenance of existing and/or completed public works project:

Provided, That not more than the average number of laborers or
employees already employed therein during the six-month period
immediately prior to the beginning of the forty-five day period before

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 election day shall be permitted to work during such time: Provided,
further, That no additional laborers shall be employed for maintenance
work within the said period of forty-five days;
(b) Work undertaken by contract through public bidding held, or by negotiated
contract awarded, before the forty-five day period before election: Provided,
That work for the purpose of this section undertaken under the so-called
"takay" or "paquiao" system shall not be considered as work by contract;
(c) Payment for the usual cost of preparation for working drawings,
specifications, bills of materials, estimates, and other procedures preparatory
to actual construction including the purchase of materials and equipment, and
all incidental expenses for wages of watchmen and other laborers employed
for such work in the central office and field storehouses before the beginning
of such period: Provided, That the number of such laborers shall not be
increased over the number hired when the project or projects were
commenced; and
(d) Emergency work necessitated by the occurrence of a public calamity, but
such work shall be limited to the restoration of the damaged facility.
No payment shall be made within five days before the date of election to
laborers who have rendered services in projects or works except those falling
under subparagraphs (a), (b), (c), and (d), of this paragraph.
This prohibition shall not apply to ongoing public works projects commenced
before the campaign period or similar projects under foreign agreements. For
purposes of this provision, it shall be the duty of the government officials or
agencies concerned to report to the Commission the list of all such projects
being undertaken by them.
(2) The Ministry of Social Services and Development and any other office in
other ministries of the government performing functions similar to said
ministry, except for salaries of personnel, and for such other routine and
normal expenses, and for such other expenses as the Commission may
authorize after due notice and hearing. Should a calamity or disaster occur,
all releases normally or usually coursed through the said ministries and offices
of other ministries shall be turned over to, and administered and disbursed
by, the Philippine National Red Cross, subject to the supervision of the
Commission on Audit or its representatives, and no candidate or his or her
spouse or member of his family within the second civil degree of affinity or
consanguinity shall participate, directly or indirectly, in the distribution of any
relief or other goods to the victims of the calamity or disaster; and

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(3) The Ministry of Human Settlements and any other office in any other
ministry of the government performing functions similar to said ministry,
except for salaries of personnel and for such other necessary administrative
or other expenses as the Commission may authorize after due notice and
hearing.
(w) Prohibition against construction of public works, delivery of materials for
public works and issuance of treasury warrants and similar devices. - During
the period of forty-five days preceding a regular election and thirty days before
a special election, any person who (a) undertakes the construction of any
public works, except for projects or works exempted in the preceding
paragraph; or (b) issues, uses or avails of treasury warrants or any device
undertaking future delivery of money, goods or other things of value
chargeable against public funds.
(x) Suspension of elective provincial, city, municipal or barangay officer. - The
provisions of law to the contrary notwithstanding during the election period,
any public official who suspends, without prior approval of the Commission,
any elective provincial, city, municipal or barangay officer, unless said
suspension will be for purposes of applying the "Anti-Graft and Corrupt
Practices Act" in relation to the suspension and removal of elective officials;
in which case the provisions of this section shall be inapplicable.
(y) On Registration of Voters:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(1) Any person who, having all the qualifications and none of the
disqualifications of a voter, fails without justifiable excuse to register as a
voter in an election, plebiscite or referendum in which he is qualified to vote.
(2) Any person who knowingly makes any false or untruthful statement
relative to any of the data or information required in the application for
registration.
(3) Any person who deliberately imprints or causes the imprinting of blurred
or indistinct fingerprints on any of the copies of the application for registration
or on the voter's affidavit; or any person in charge of the registration of voters
who deliberately or through negligence, causes or allows the imprinting of
blurred or indistinct fingerprints on any of the aforementioned registration
forms, or any person who tampers with the fingerprints in said registration
records.
(4) Any member of the board of election inspectors who approves any
application which on its face shows that the applicant does not possess all the
qualifications prescribed by law for a voter; or who disapproves any
application which on its face shows that the applicant possesses all such
qualifications.

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(5) Any person who, being a registered voter, registers anew without filing an
application for cancellation of his previous registration.
(6) Any person who registers in substitution for another whether with or
without the latter's knowledge or consent.
(7) Any person who tampers with or changes without authority any data or
entry in any voter's application for registration.
(8) Any person who delays, hinders or obstruct another from registering.
(9) Any person who falsely certifies or identifies another as a bona fide
resident of a particular place or locality for the purpose of securing the latter's
registration as a voter.
(10) Any person who uses the voter's affidavit of another for the purpose of
voting, whether or not he actually succeeds in voting.
(11) Any person who places, inserts or otherwise includes, as approved
application for registration in the book of voters or in the provincial or national
central files of registered voters, the application of any fictitious voter or any
application that has not been approved; or removes from, or otherwise takes
out of the book of voters or the provincial or national central files of registered
voters any duly approved voter's application, except upon lawful order of the
Commission, or of a competent court or after proper cancellation as provided
in Sections 122, 123, 124 and 125 hereof.
(12) Any person who transfers or causes the transfer of the registration record
of a voter to the book of voters of another polling place, unless said transfer
was due to a change of address of the voter and the voter was duly notified
of his new polling place.
(13) Any person who asks, demands, takes, accepts or possesses, directly or
indirectly, the voter's affidavit of another, in order to induce the latter to
withhold his vote, or to vote for or against any candidate in an election or any
issue in a plebiscite or referendum. It shall be presumed prima facie that the
asking, demanding, taking, accepting, or possessing is with such intent if done
within the period beginning ten days before election day and ending ten days
after election day, unless the voter's affidavit of another and the latter are
both members of the same family.
(14) Any person who delivers, hands over, entrusts, gives, directly or
indirectly his voter's affidavit to another in consideration of money or other
benefit or promises thereof, or takes or accepts such voter's affidavit directly
or indirectly, by giving or causing the giving of money or other benefit or
making or causing the making of a promise thereof.

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(15) Any person who alters in any manner, tears, defaces, removes or
destroys any certified list of voters.
(16) Any person who takes, carries or possesses any blank or unused
registration form already issued to a city or municipality outside of said city
or municipality except as otherwise provided in this Code or when directed by
express order of the court or of the Commission.
(17) Any person who maliciously omits, tampers or transfers to another list
the name of a registered voter from the official list of voters posted outside
the polling place.
(z) On voting:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(1) Any person who fails to cast his vote without justifiable excuse.
(2) Any person who votes more than once in the same election, or who, not
being a registered voter, votes in an election.
(3) Any person who votes in substitution for another whether with or without
the latter's knowledge and/or consent.
(4) Any person who, not being illiterate or physically disabled, allows his ballot
to be prepared by another, or any person who prepares the ballot of another
who is not illiterate or physically disabled, with or without the latter's
knowledge and/or consent.
(5) Any person who avails himself of any means of scheme to discover the
contents of the ballot of a voter who is preparing or casting his vote or who
has just voted.
(6) Any voter who, in the course of voting, uses a ballot other than the one
given by the board of election inspectors or has in his possession more than
one official ballot.
(7) Any person who places under arrest or detains a voter without lawful
cause, or molests him in such a manner as to obstruct or prevent him from
going to the polling place to cast his vote or from returning home after casting
his vote, or to compel him to reveal how he voted.
(8) Any member of the board of election inspectors charged with the duty of
reading the ballot during the counting of votes who deliberately omits to read
the vote duly written on the ballot, or misreads the vote actually written
thereon or reads the name of a candidate where no name is written on the
ballot.
(9) Any member of the board of election inspectors charged with the duty of
tallying the votes in the tally board or sheet, election returns or other

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prescribed form who deliberately fails to record a vote therein or records
erroneously the votes as read, or records a vote where no such vote has been
read by the chairman.
(10) Any member of a board of election inspectors who has made possible the
casting of more votes than there are registered voters.
(11) Any person who, for the purpose of disrupting or obstructing the election
process or causing confusion among the voters, propagates false and alarming
reports or information or transmits or circulates false orders, directives or
messages regarding any matter relating to the printing of official ballots, the
postponement of the election, the transfer of polling place or the general
conduct of the election.
(12) Any person who, without legal authority, destroys, substitutes or takes
away from the possession of those having legal custody thereof, or from the
place where they are legally deposited, any election form or document or
ballot box which contains official ballots or other documents used in the
election.
(13) Any person having legal custody of the ballot box containing the official
ballots used in the election who opens or destroys said box or removes or
destroys its contents without or against the order of the Commission or who,
through his negligence, enables any person to commit any of the
aforementioned acts, or takes away said ballot box from his custody.
(14) Any member of the board of election inspectors who knowingly uses
ballots other than the official ballots, except in those cases where the use of
emergency ballots is authorized.
(15) Any public official who neglects or fails to properly preserve or account
for any ballot box, documents and forms received by him and kept under his
custody.
(16) Any person who reveals the contents of the ballot of an illiterate or
disabled voter whom he assisted in preparing a ballot.
(17) Any person who, without authority, transfers the location of a polling
place.
(18) Any person who, without authority, prints or causes the printing of any
ballot or election returns that appears as official ballots or election returns or
who distributes or causes the same to be distributed for use in the election,
whether or not they are actually used.
(19) Any person who, without authority, keeps, uses or carries out or causes
to be kept, used or carried out, any official ballot or election returns or printed

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proof thereof, type-form mould, electro-type printing plates and any other
plate, numbering machines and other printing paraphernalia being used in
connection with the printing of official ballots or election returns.
(20) Any official or employee of any printing establishment or of the
Commission or any member of the committee in charge of the printing of
official ballots or election returns who causes official ballots or election returns
to be printed in quantities exceeding those authorized by the Commission or
who distributes, delivers, or in any manner disposes of or causes to be
distributed, delivered, or disposed of, any official ballot or election returns to
any person or persons not authorized by law or by the Commission to receive
or keep official ballots or election returns or who sends or causes them to be
sent to any place not designated by law or by the Commission.
(21) Any person who, through any act, means or device, violates the integrity
of any official ballot or election returns before or after they are used in the
election.
(22) Any person who removes, tears, defaces or destroys any certified list of
candidates posted inside the voting booths during the hours of voting.
(23) Any person who holds or causes the holding of an election on any other
day than that fixed by law or by the Commission, or stops any election being
legally held.
(24) Any person who deliberately blurs his fingerprint in the voting record.
(aa) On Canvassing:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(1) Any chairman of the board of canvassers who fails to give due notice of
the date, time and place of the meeting of said board to the candidates,
political parties and/or members of the board.
(2) Any member of the board of canvassers who proceeds with the canvass of
the votes and/or proclamation of any candidate which was suspended or
annulled by the Commission.
(3) Any member of the board of canvassers who proceeds with the canvass of
votes and/or proclamation of any candidate in the absence of quorum, or
without giving due notice of the date, time and place of the meeting of the
board to the candidates, political parties, and/or other members of the board.
(4) Any member of the board of canvassers who, without authority of the
Commission, uses in the canvass of votes and/or proclamation of any
candidate any document other than the official copy of the election returns.
(bb) Common to all boards of election inspectors and boards of
canvassers:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary

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(1) Any member of any board of election inspectors or board of canvassers
who deliberately absents himself from the meetings of said body for the
purpose of obstructing or delaying the performance of its duties or functions.
(2) Any member of any board of election inspectors or board of canvassers
who, without justifiable reason, refuses to sign and certify any election form
required by this Code or prescribed by the Commission although he was
present during the meeting of the said body.
(3) Any person who, being ineligible for appointment as member of any board
of election inspectors or board of canvassers, accepts an appointment to said
body, assumes office, and actually serves as a member thereof, or any of
public officer or any person acting in his behalf who appoints such ineligible
person knowing him to be ineligible.
(4) Any person who, in the presence or within the hearing of any board of
election inspectors or board of canvassers during any of its meetings, conducts
himself in such a disorderly manner as to interrupt or disrupt the work or
proceedings to the end of preventing said body from performing its functions,
either partly or totally.
(5) Any public official or person acting in his behalf who relieves any member
of any board of election inspectors or board of canvassers or who changes or
causes the change of the assignments of any member of said board of election
inspectors or board of canvassers without authority of the Commission.
(cc) On candidacy and campaign:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(1) Any political party which holds political conventions or meetings to
nominate its official candidates earlier that the period fixed in this Code.
(2) Any person who abstracts, destroys or cancels any certificate of candidacy
duly filed and which has not been cancelled upon order of the Commission.
(3) Any person who misleads the board of election inspectors by submitting
any false or spurious certificate of candidacy or document to the prejudice of
a candidate.
(4) Any person who, being authorized to receive certificates of candidacy,
receives any certificate of candidacy outside the period for filing the same and
makes it appear that said certificate of candidacy was filed on time; or any
person who, by means of fraud, threat, intimidation, terrorism or coercion,
causes or compels the commission of said act.
(5) Any person who, by any device or means, jams, obstructs or interferes
with a radio or television broadcast of any lawful political program.

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(6) Any person who solicits votes or undertakes any propaganda, on the day
of election, for or against any candidate or any political party within the polling
place or within a radius of thirty meters thereof.
(dd) Other prohibitions:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(1) Any person who sells, furnishes, offers, buys, serves or takes intoxicating
liquor on the days fixed by law for the registration of voters in the polling
place, or on the day before the election or on election day: Provided, That
hotels and other establishments duly certified by the Ministry of Tourism as
tourist oriented and habitually in the business of catering to foreign tourists
may be exempted for justifiable reasons upon prior authority of the
Commission: Provided, further, That foreign tourists taking intoxicating liquor
in said authorized hotels or establishments are exempted from the provisions
of this subparagraph.
(2) Any person who opens in any polling place or within a radius of thirty
meters thereof on election day and during the counting of votes, booths or
stalls of any kind for the sale, dispensing or display of wares, merchandise or
refreshments, whether solid or liquid, or for any other purposes.
(3) Any person who holds on election day, fairs, cockfights, boxing, horse
races, jai-alai or any other similar sports.
(4) Refusal to carry election mail matter. - Any operator or employee of a
public utility or transportation company operating under a certificate of public
convenience, including government-owned or controlled postal service or its
employees or deputized agents who refuse to carry official election mail
matters free of charge during the election period. In addition to the penalty
prescribed herein, such refusal shall constitute a ground for cancellation or
revocation of certificate of public convenience or franchise.
(5) Prohibition against discrimination in the sale of air time. - Any person who
operates a radio or television station who without justifiable cause
discriminates against any political party, coalition or aggroupment of parties
or any candidate in the sale of air time. In addition to the penalty prescribed
herein, such refusal shall constitute a ground for cancellation or revocation of
the franchise.
Sec. 262. Other election offenses. - Violation of the provisions, or pertinent
portions, of the following sections of this Code shall constitute election
offenses: Sections 9, 18, 74, 75, 76, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89,
95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106 107, 108, 109, 110,
111, 112, 122, 123, 127, 128, 129, 132, 134, 135, 145, 148, 150, 152, 172,
173, 174, 178, 180, 182, 184, 185, 186, 189, 190, 191, 192, 194, 195, 196,
197, 198, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214,

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215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 223, 229, 230, 231, 233, 234, 235, 236, 239
and 240.
Sec. 263. Persons criminally liable. - The principals, accomplices, and
accessories, as defined in the Revised Penal Code, shall be criminally liable for
election offenses. If the one responsible be a political party or an entity, its
president or head, the officials and employees of the same, performing duties
connected with the offense committed and its members who may be
principals, accomplices, or accessories shall be liable, in addition to the liability
of such party or entity.
Sec. 264. Penalties. - Any person found guilty of any election offense under
this Code shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than one year but
not more than six years and shall not be subject to probation. In addition, the
guilty party shall be sentenced to suffer disqualification to hold public office
and deprivation of the right of suffrage. If he is a foreigner, he shall be
sentenced to deportation which shall be enforced after the prison term has
been served. Any political party found guilty shall be sentenced to pay a fine
of not less than ten thousand pesos, which shall be imposed upon such party
after criminal action has been instituted in which their corresponding officials
have been found guilty.
In case of prisoner or prisoners illegally released from any penitentiary or jail
during the prohibited period as provided in Section 261, paragraph (n) of this
Code, the director of prisons, provincial warden, keeper of the jail or prison,
or persons who are required by law to keep said prisoner in their custody shall,
if convicted by a competent court, be sentenced to suffer the penalty of prision
mayor in its maximum period if the prisoner or prisoners so illegally released
commit any act of intimidation, terrorism of interference in the election.
Any person found guilty of the offense of failure to register or failure to vote
shall, upon conviction, be fined one hundred pesos. In addition, he shall suffer
disqualification to run for public office in the next succeeding election following
his conviction or be appointed to a public office for a period of one year
following his conviction.
Sec. 265. Prosecution. - The Commission shall, through its duly authorized
legal officers, have the exclusive power to conduct preliminary investigation
of all election offenses punishable under this Code, and to prosecute the same.
The Commission may avail of the assistance of other prosecuting arms of the
government: Provided, however, That in the event that the Commission fails
to act on any complaint within four months from his filing, the complainant
may file the complaint with the office of the fiscal or with the Ministry of Justice
for proper investigation and prosecution, if warranted.

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Sec. 266. Arrest in connection with the election campaign. - No person shall
be arrested and/or detained at any time for any alleged offense committed
during and in connection with any election through any act or language
tending to support or oppose any candidate, political party or coalition of
political parties under or pursuant to any order of whatever name or nature
and by whomsoever issued except only upon a warrant of arrest issued by a
competent judge after all the requirements of the Constitution shall have been
strictly complied with.
If the offense charged is punishable under a presidential decree whether
originally or by amendment of a previous law, the death penalty shall not be
imposed upon the offender except where murder, rape or arson is involved.
In all cases, the penalty shall not be higher than reclusion perpetua and the
offender shall be entitled to reasonable bail upon sufficient sureties to be
granted speedily by the competent court. Moreover, loss of the right of
citizenship and confiscation of property shall not be imposed.
Any officer or a person who shall violate any provision of this section shall be
punished by imprisonment of not less than six (6) years and one (1) day nor
more than twelve (12) years, with the accessory penalties for election
offenses. The provision of Section 267 of this Code shall not apply to
prosecution under this section.
Sec. 267. Prescription. - Election offenses shall prescribe after five years from
the date of their commission. If the discovery of the offense be made in an
election contest proceedings, the period of prescription shall commence on
the date on which the judgment in such proceedings becomes final and
executory.
Sec. 268. Jurisdiction of courts. - The regional trial court shall have the
exclusive original jurisdiction to try and decide any criminal action or
proceedings for violation of this Code, except those relating to the offense of
failure to register or failure to vote which shall be under the jurisdiction of the
metropolitan or municipal trial courts. From the decision of the courts, appeal
will lie as in other criminal cases.
Sec. 269. Preferential disposition of election offenses. - The investigation and
prosecution of cases involving violations of the election laws shall be given
preference and priority by the Commission on Elections and prosecuting
officials. Their investigation shall be commenced without delay, and shall be
resolved by the investigating officer within five days from its submission for
resolution. The courts shall likewise give preference to election offenses over
all other cases, except petitions for writ of habeas corpus. Their trial shall
likewise be commenced without delay, and shall be conducted continuously
until terminated, and the case shall be decided within thirty days from its

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submission for decision.

ARTICLE XXIII.
LEGAL FEES

Sec. 270. Collection of legal fees. - The Commission is hereby authorized to

collect fees as follows:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
(a) For furnishing certified transcript of records or copies of any record,
decision or ruling or entry of which any person is entitled to demand and
receive a copy, for every page P 2.00
(b) For every certificate or writ or process 10.00
(c) For each certificate not on process 2.00
(d) In appropriate cases, for filing a second and succeeding motions for
reconsideration 50.00
(e) For every search of any record of more than one year's standing and
reading the same 10.00
Sec. 271. Payment of Fees. - The fees mentioned in the preceding section
shall be paid to the cashier of the Commission who shall in all cases issue a
receipt for the same and shall enter the amount received upon his book
specifying the date when received, the fee, and the person from whom
received. The cashier shall immediately report such payment to the
Commission.

ARTICLE XXIV.
TRANSITORY PROVISIONS

Sec. 272. Pending actions. - Pending actions and causes of action arising
before the effectivity of this Code shall be governed by the laws then in force.
Sec. 273. Designation of certain pre-election acts immediately after the
approval of this Code. - If it should no longer be reasonably possible to observe
the periods and dates herein prescribed for certain pre-election acts in the
election immediately following the approval of this Code, the Commission shall
fix other periods in order to ensure that voters shall not be deprived of their
right of suffrage.

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Sec. 274. Accreditation of dominant opposition party. - For purposes of the
next local elections in 1986 and the next presidential elections in 1987 or
earlier, the dominant opposition party shall be that political party, group or
organization or coalition of major national or regional political parties opposed
to the majority party which has the capability to wage a bona fide nationwide
campaign as shown by the extent of its organization and the number of
Members of Parliament affiliated with it: Provided, however, That with specific
reference to the next local elections in constituencies which are represented
in the Batasang Pambansa by Members who do not belong either to the
majority party or to the political party or coalition of political parties described
above, the representatives of the opposition in the board of election
inspectors, board of canvassers or other similar bodies shall be proposed
exclusively by the party to which said Member of the Batasang Pambansa
belong: Provided, however, That it is registered before the next local elections.
Any political party, group or organization or coalition of political parties
seeking accreditation under this section shall file a verified petition with the
Commission on Elections stating therein such information as may be necessary
to enable the Commission to determine the qualifications for accreditation in
accordance with the standard herein provided.
The Commission on Elections shall accredit the dominant opposition party not
later than thirty days before the campaign period in every election.
In case a presidential election is held before the next local elections or before
the presidential election in 1987, the provisions of the Constitution shall be
enforced in determining which shall be the dominant opposition party for
purposes of the next local elections.
Sec. 275. Party representatives in the board of election inspectors. - Until such
time as the two accredited political parties are determined in accordance with
the provisions of the Constitution, the two members shall each be proposed
by the ruling party and the dominant opposition party as may be determined
by the Commission pursuant to the provisions of this Code.
Sec. 276. Appropriations, and insurance for board of electioninspectors. - The
cost of holding the next local elections provided in this Code shall be funded
out of the current appropriations of the Commission on Elections provided for
this purpose. In case of deficiency, additional funding may be provided out of
the special activities fund intended for special priority activities authorized in
the General Appropriations Act.
The chairman and the poll clerk of the board of election inspectors shall receive
per diem at the rate of one hundred pesos on election day and fifty pesos on
each of the registration and revision days. The inspectors of the political
parties shall be granted a per diem of fifty pesos on election day and twenty-
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five pesos on each of the registration and revision days. Education support
personnel of the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports shall receive a per
diem of twenty-five pesos during election day.
Supervisors, principals and other administrators of the Ministry of Education,
Culture and Sports who may be asked by the Commission, and actually report,
for supervisory assignment during registration and election day shall be
entitled to a per diem of fifty pesos.
The provincial, city and municipal treasurers shall receive per diem at the rate
of one hundred pesos on election day.
Payments of per diems under this section shall be made within seventy-two
hours after the election or registration day.
The chairman, poll clerk and party representatives in the board of election
inspectors shall be insured with the government Service Insurance System at
fifty thousand pesos each under terms and conditions that shall be agreed
upon by the Chairman of the Commission, the Ministries of the Budget, and
the Minister of Education, Culture and Sports.
Sec. 277. Special election for President before 1987. - In case a vacancy in
the Office of the President occurs before the presidential election in 1987, the
Speaker of the Batasang Pambansa shall act as President until a President and
a Vice-President or either of them shall have been elected and shall have
qualified. Their term of office shall commence at noon of the tenth day
following their proclamation, and shall end at noon on the thirtieth day of June
of the sixth year thereafter.
The Acting President may not declare martial law or suspend the privilege of
the writ of habeas corpus without the prior consent of at least a majority of
all the Members of the Batasang Pambansa, or issue any decree, order or
letter of instructions while the lawmaking power of the President is in force.
He shall be deemed automatically on leave and the Speaker Pro-Tempore shall
act as Speaker. While acting as President, the Speaker may not be removed.
He shall not be eligible for election in the immediately succeeding election for
President and Vice-President.
The Batasang Pambansa shall, at ten o'clock in the morning of the third day
after the vacancy occurs, convene in accordance with its rules without need
of a call and within seven days enact a law calling for a special election to elect
a President and a Vice-president to be held not earlier than forty-five days nor
later than sixty days from the time of such call. The bill calling such special
election shall be deemed certified under paragraph (2), Section 19, Article VIII
of the Constitution and shall become law upon its approval on third reading
by the Batasang Pambansa. Appropriations for the special election shall be

111
charged against any current appropriations and shall be exempt from the
requirements of paragraph (4), Section 16 of Article VIII of the Constitution.
As provided in the third paragraph, Section 9 of Article VII thereof, the
convening of the Batasang Pambansa cannot be suspended nor the special
election postponed. No special election shall be called if the vacancy occurs
within seventy days before the date of the presidential election of 1987.
Appointments extended by the Acting President shall remain effective, unless
revoked by the newly elected President within ninety days from his assumption
of office.
Sec. 278. Special election to fill existing vacancies in the Batasang Pambansa.
- The election of Members to fill existing vacancies in the Batasang Pambansa
shall be held simultaneously with the next local election in 1986 or in the next
special national election for President and Vice-President if one is held earlier.
Sec. 279. Elective officials in existing sub-provinces. - The election of elective
public officials in existing sub-provinces shall likewise be held simultaneously
with the next local elections of 1986 and 1990 in accordance with their
respective charters, subject to the same term, qualifications, manner of
election and resolution of election controversies as are herein provided for
comparable provincial elective officials.

ARTICLE XXV.
FINAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 280. Reorganization of the Commission on Elections. - In order to

promote maximum efficiency in carrying out its constitutional duty to insure
free, orderly and honest elections and in discharging its judicial powers and
functions under the Constitution, the Commission is hereby authorized to
reorganize its office within twelve months after the first election to be held
under this Code. It may create, merge, or abolish departments, offices,
divisions or units, redistribute functions and reassign personnel, change
designations of existing positions subject to pertinent existing laws and
regulations. It may recommend the levels and rates of salaries of its
subordinate officials and employees subject to the laws and regulations on
civil service and compensation, position classification and standardization of
salaries: Provided, That no permanent official or employee already in the
service of the Commission, upon approval of this Code, shall be laid off, or
demoted in rank or salary.
Sec. 281. Separability clause. - If for any reason any section or
provision of this Code, or any portion thereof, or the application of

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such section, provision or portion to any person, group or
circumstance is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of
this Code or the application of such section, provision or portion
thereof to other persons, groups or circumstances shall not be
affected by such declaration.
Sec. 282. Repealing clause. - Presidential Decree No. 1296, otherwise
known as The 1978 Election Code, as amended, is hereby repealed. All
other election laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations,
or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Code are
hereby repealed, except Presidential Decree No. 1618 and Batas
Pambansa Blg. 20 governing the election of the members of the
Sangguniang Pampook of Regions IX and XII.
Sec. 283. Effectivity. - This Code shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved: December 3, 1985

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114
 EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 157
PROVIDING FOR ABSENTEE VOTING BY OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES OF
GOVERNMENT WHO ARE AWAY FROM THE PLACES OF THEIR
REGISTRATION BY REASON OF OFFICIAL FUNCTIONS ON ELECTION DAY.

WHEREAS, under the electoral law now in force the rule is that a person has
to be physically present in the polling place whereof he is a registered voter
in order to be able to vote;
WHEREAS, the only exception is that established by Section 169 of Batas
Pambansa Blg. 881, which allows members of the board of election inspectors
to vote in the polling place where they are assigned on election day, under
certain conditions;
WHEREAS, there are other persons who, by reason of public functions and
duties, are assigned on election day in places other than their place of
registration, and under existing rules, are thus unable to vote;
WHEREAS, the democratic principle requires the broadest participation in
electoral and similar exercises by persons who have all the qualifications and
none of the disqualifications to vote;
WHEREAS, government officials and employees who are assigned to places
other than their place of registration must not be deprived of their right to
participate in electoral exercises;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, CORAZON C. AQUINO, President of the Philippines, do
hereby order;
Section 1. Any person who by reason of public functions and duties, is not in
his/her place of registration on election day, may vote in the city/municipality
where he/she is assigned on election day: provided, that he/she is a duly
registered voter.
Sec. 2. Thirty (30) days before the election, the appropriate head of office
shall submit to the Commission on Elections a list of officers and employees
of the office who are registered voters, and who, by reason of their duties and
functions, will be in places other than their place of registration, and who
desire to exercise their right to vote, with the request that said officers and
employees be provided with application forms to cast absentee ballots in their
place of assignment.

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The list and the request shall be under oath.
Sec. 3. Upon verification by the Commission on Elections that the persons
included in the list are qualified voters, it shall transmit the exact number of
application forms to the head of the office making the request.
Sec. 4. The application forms shall be returned duly accomplished to the
Commission on Elections not later than April 25, 1987.
Sec. 5. Upon verification of the applications, the Commission shall transmit
the exact number of absentee ballots to the appropriate head of the
government office for distribution to the applicants.
Sec. 6. The head of the office shall prepare a sworn report on the manner of
distribution of the absentee ballots, indicating therein the number of ballots
transmitted to each province, the names of the persons to whom the absentee
ballots are delivered, and the serial numbers of the ballots. It shall be
accompanied by a certificate of eligibility to vote absentee for each particular
voter.
Sec. 7. For the purpose of the 1987 congressional election, the absentee
voters shall vote only for candidates for senator.
Sec. 8. The voters who cast absentee voters shall vote one week before
election day. They shall do so by delivering to the Commission on Elections
Regional Director, or the Provincial Election Supervisor or the City or Municipal
Election Registrar of the place of their assignment the special Commission on
Elections absentee ballot within two security envelopes, the one containing
the absentee ballots indicating only that it is an envelope of the Commission
on Elections, and the other envelope indicating the name of the absentee voter
and his/her affidavit number.
Sec. 9. The Commission on Elections official concerned to whom the absentee
vote is delivered shall immediately transmit by the fastest means available to
the Commission on Elections the special Commission on Elections absentee
ballot within two security envelopes so that the same are in the central office
of the Commission one day before the elections.
The transmittal letter shall indicate the names of the persons who cast the
absentee votes, their voter’s affidavit numbers and their certificates of
eligibility to vote absentee.
Sec. 10. The Commission on Elections shall canvass the votes cast by
absentee voters and shall add the results of the same to the votes reported
throughout the country.

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Sec. 11. The Commission shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations
to implement this Executive Order.
Sec. 12. Section 169 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 881 shall remain in force and
effect, and shall continue to govern the voting privilege of members of the
board of election inspectors. All laws, orders, issuances, rules and regulations
or parts thereof inconsistent with this Executive Order are hereby repealed or
modified accordingly.
Sec. 13. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

R.A. No. 7166 (Sec. 12)

Section 12. Absentee Voting. - Absentee voting as provided for in
Executive Order No. 157 dated March 30, 1987 shall apply to the elections
for President, Vice-President and Senators only and shall be limited to
members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine
National Police and other government officers and employees who are duly
registered voters and who, on election day, may temporarily be assigned in
connection with the performance of election duties to place where they are
not registered voters.

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10380

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR LOCAL ABSENTEE VOTING FOR MEDIA

SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. — The State shall ensure the free

exercise of the right of suffrage by all citizens of the Philippines not otherwise
disqualified by law.
SECTION 2. Local Absentee Voting for Members of Media. — The
Commission on Elections shall extend the right to vote under the local absentee
votingsystem provided under existing laws and executive orders to members of
media, media practitioners, including the technical and support staff, who are
duly registered voters and who, on election day, may not be able to vote due to

117
 the performance of their functions in covering and reporting on the elections:
Provided,That they shall be allowed to vote only for the positions of President,
Vice President, Senators and Party-List Representative.
SECTION 3. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — The Commission on
Elections shall, within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of this Act, promulgate
the implementing rules and regulations which shall include a system of
accreditation and verification of the members of media, media practitioners, the
technical and support staff, who are qualified to avail of local absentee voting.
ESaITA

SECTION 4. Appropriations. — The initial funding of this Act shall be

charged against the current year's appropriations or from any available savings
of the Commission on Elections. Thereafter, such amount as may be necessary
for the continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual
General Appropriations Act.
SECTION 5. Separability Clause. — If any part or provision of this Act shall
be declared unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions hereof which are not
affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.
SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. — All laws, presidential decrees,
executive orders, resolutions, rules and regulations, other issuances, and parts
thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby
repealed or modified accordingly.
SECTION 7. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
following its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved: March 14, 2013.
||| (Local Absentee Voting for Media, Republic Act No. 10380, [March 14, 2013])

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9189

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A SYSTEM OF OVERSEAS ABSENTEE VOTING BY
QUALIFIED CITIZENS OF THE PHILIPPINES ABROAD, APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as "The Overseas
Absentee Voting Act of 2003." SEIDAC

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 SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the prime duty of the State to
provide a system of honest and orderly overseas absentee voting that upholds
the secrecy and sanctity of the ballot. Towards this end, the State ensures equal
opportunity to all qualified citizens of the Philippines abroad in the exercise of this
fundamental right. acCTSE
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. — For purposes of this Act:
a) "Absentee Voting" refers to the process by which qualified citizens of
the Philippines abroad exercise their right to vote;
b) "Commission" refers to the Commission on Elections;
c) "Certified List of Overseas Absentee Voters" refers to the list of
registered overseas absentee voters whose applications to vote in
absentia have been approved by the Commission, said list to be
prepared by the Committee on Absentee Voting of the Commission,
on a country-by-country basis. The list shall be approved by the
Commission in an en banc resolution;
d) "Day of Election" refers to the actual date of elections in the Philippines;
e) "National Registry of Absentee Voters" refers to the consolidated list
prepared, approved and maintained by the Commission, of
overseas absenteevoters whose applications for registration as
absentee voters, including those registered voters who have applied
to be certified as absentee voters, have been approved by the
Election Registration Board.
f) "Overseas Absentee Voter" refers to a citizen of the Philippines who is
qualified to register and vote under this Act, not otherwise
disqualified by law, who is abroad on the day of elections;
SECTION 4. Coverage. — All citizens of the Philippines abroad, who are
not otherwise disqualified by law, at least eighteen (18) years of age on the day
ofelections, may vote for president, vice-president, senators and party-list
representatives.
SECTION 5. Disqualifications. — The following shall be disqualified from
voting under this Act:
a) Those who have lost their Filipino citizenship in accordance with
Philippine laws; SEIDAC

119
 b) Those who have expressly renounced their Philippine citizenship and
who have pledged allegiance to a foreign country;
c) Those who have committed and are convicted in a final judgment by a
court or tribunal of an offense punishable by imprisonment of not
less than one (1) year, including those who have committed and
been found guilty of Disloyalty as defined under Article 137 of the
Revised Penal Code, such disability not having been removed by
plenary pardon or amnesty: Provided, however, That any person
disqualified to vote under this subsection shall automatically acquire
the right to vote upon expiration of five (5) years after service of
sentence; Provided, further, That the Commission may take
cognizance of final judgments issued by foreign courts or tribunals
only on the basis of reciprocity and subject to the formalities and
processes prescribed by the Rules of Court on execution of
judgments;
d) An immigrant or a permanent resident who is recognized as such in the
host country, unless he/she executes, upon registration, an affidavit
prepared for the purpose by the Commission declaring that he/she
shall resume actual physical permanent residence in the Philippines
not later than three (3) years from approval of his/her registration
under this Act. Such affidavit shall also state that he/she has not
applied for citizenship in another country. Failure to return shall be
cause for the removal of the name of the immigrant or permanent
resident from the National Registry of Absentee Voters and his/her
permanent disqualification to vote in absentia.
e) Any citizen of the Philippines abroad previously declared insane or
incompetent by competent authority in the Philippines or abroad, as
verified by the Philippine embassies, consulates or foreign service
establishments concerned, unless such competent authority
subsequently certifies that such person is no longer insane or
incompetent. SEIDAC
SECTION 6. Personal Overseas Absentee Registration. — Registration as
an overseas absentee voter shall be done in person.
Qualified citizens of the Philippines abroad who failed to register under
Republic Act No. 8189, otherwise known as "The Voters Registration Act of
1996", may personally apply for registration with the Election Registration Board
of the city or municipality where they were domiciled immediately prior to their

120
departure from the Philippines, or with the representative of the Commission at
the Philippine embassies, consulates and other foreign service establishments
that have jurisdiction over the locality where they temporarily reside. Subject to
the specific guidelines herein provided, the Commission is hereby authorized to
prescribe additional procedures for overseas absentee registration pursuant to
the provisions of Republic Act No. 8189, whenever applicable, taking into strict
consideration the time zones and the various periods and processes herein
provided for the proper implementation of this Act. The embassies, consulates
and other foreign service establishments shall transmit within (5) days from
receipt the accomplished registration forms to the Commission, after which the
Commission shall coordinate with the Election Officer of the city or municipality
of the applicant's stated residence for verification, hearing and annotation in the
permanent list of voters. DHSCTI
All applications for the May, 2004 elections shall be filed with the
Commission not later than two hundred eighty (280) calendar days before the
day ofelections. For succeeding elections, the Commission shall provide for the
period within which applications to register must be filed.
In the case of seafarers, the Commission shall provide a special
mechanism for the time and manner of personal registration taking into
consideration the nature of their work.
6.1. Upon receipt of the application for registration, the Election Officer
shall immediately set the application for hearing, the notice of which
shall be posted in a conspicuous place in the premises of the city or
municipal building of the applicant's stated residence for at least one
(1) week before the date of the hearing. The Election Officer shall
immediately furnish a copy of the application to the designated
representatives of political parties and other accredited groups. SEIDAC
6.2. If no verified objection to the application is filed, the Election Officer
shall immediately forward the application to the Election Registration
Board, which shall decide on the application within one (1) week
from the date of hearing without waiting for the quarterly meeting of
the Board. The applicant shall be notified of the approval or
disapproval of his/her application by registered mail.
6.3. In the event that an objection to the application is filed prior to or on
the date of hearing, the Election Officer shall notify the applicant of
said objection by registered mail, enclosing therein copies of
affidavits or documents submitted in support of the objection filed

121
 with the said Election Officer, if any. The applicant shall have the
right to file his counter-affidavit by registered mail, clearly stating
therein facts and defenses sworn before any officer in the host
country authorized to administer oaths.
6.4. The application shall be approved or disapproved based on the merits
of the objection, counter-affidavit and documents submitted by the
party objecting and those of the applicant.
6.5. A Certificate of Registration as an overseas absentee voter shall be
issued by the Commission to all applicants whose applications have
been approved, including those certified as registered voters. The
Commission shall include the approved applications in the National
Registry of Absentee Voters.
6.6. If the application has been approved, any interested party may file a
petition for exclusion not later than two hundred ten (210) days
before the day ofelections with the proper municipal or metropolitan
trial court. The petition shall be decided within fifteen (15) days after
its filing on the basis of the documents submitted in connection
therewith. Should the court fail to render a decision within the
prescribed period, the ruling of the Election Registration Board shall
be considered affirmed. SEIDAC
6.7. If the application has been disapproved, the applicant or his authorized
representative shall, within a period of five (5) days from receipt of
the notice ofdisapproval, have the right to file a petition for inclusion
with the proper municipal or metropolitan trial court. The petition
shall be decided within five (5) days after its filing on the basis of
documents submitted in connection therewith.
Qualified citizens of the Philippines abroad, who have previously
registered as voters pursuant to Republic Act No. 8189 shall apply for certification
as absenteevoters and for inclusion in the National Registry of Overseas
Absentee Voters, with a corresponding annotation in the Certified Voters' List.
SECTION 7. System of Continuing Registration. — The Commission shall
ensure that the benefits of the system of continuing registration are extended to
qualified overseas absentee voters. Towards this end, the Commission shall
optimize the use of existing facilities, personnel and mechanisms of the various
government agencies for purposes of data gathering, data validation, information
dissemination and facilitation of the registration process. SEIDAC

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 Pre-departure programs, services and mechanisms offered and
administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Labor and
Employment, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Overseas
Workers' Welfare Administration, Commission on Filipinos Overseas and other
appropriate agencies ofthe government shall be utilized for purposes of
supporting the overseas absentee registration and voting processes, subject to
limitations imposed by law.
SECTION 8. Requirements for Registration. — Every Filipino registrant
shall be required to furnish the following documents:
a) A valid Philippine passport. In the absence of a valid passport, a
certification of the Department of Foreign Affairs that it has reviewed
the appropriate documents submitted by the applicant and found
them sufficient to warrant the issuance of a passport, or that the
applicant is a holder of a valid passport but is unable to produce the
same for a valid reason;
b) Accomplished registration form prescribed by the Commission
containing the following mandatory information:
(i) Last known residence of the applicant in the Philippines before
leaving for abroad;
(ii) Address of applicant abroad, or forwarding address in the case
of seafarers;
(iii) Where voting by mail is allowed, the applicant's mailing address
outside the Philippines where the ballot for absentee voters
will be sent, in proper cases; and
(iv) Name and address of applicant's authorized representative in
the Philippines for purposes of Section 6.7 and Section 12
hereof.
c) In the case of immigrants and permanent residents not otherwise
disqualified to vote under this Act, an affidavit declaring the intention
to resume actual physical permanent residence in the Philippines
not later than three (3) years after approval of his/her registration as
an overseas absentee voter under this Act. Such affidavit shall also
state that he/she has not applied for citizenship in another country.

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 The Commission may also require additional data to facilitate registration
and recording. No information other than those necessary to establish the identity
and qualification of the applicant shall be required.
SECTION 9. National Registry of Overseas Absentee Voters. — The
Commission shall maintain a National Registry of Overseas Absentee Voters.
Approved applications of overseas absentee registrants shall also be included in
the permanent list of voters of the city or municipality where the registrant is
domiciled, with the corresponding annotation that such person has been
registered or will be voting as an overseas absentee voter. The registry shall also
include those registered under Republic Act No. 8189 and who have been issued
certifications as overseas absentee voters. The entries in the National Registry
of Overseas Absentee Voters and the annotations as overseas absentee voters
in the Certified Voters' List shall be permanent, and cannot be cancelled or
amended except in any of the following cases: SEIDAC
9.1. When the overseas absentee voter files a letter under oath addressed
to the Commission that he/she wishes to be removed from the
Registry ofOverseas Absentee Voters, or that his/her name be
transferred to the regular registry of voters; or,
9.2. When an overseas absentee voter's name was ordered removed by
the Commission from the Registry of Overseas Absentee Voters for
his/her failure to exercise his/her right to vote under this Act for two
(2) consecutive national elections.
SECTION 10. Notice of Registration and Election. — The Commission
shall, through the embassies, consulates and other foreign service
establishments, cause the publication in a newspaper of general circulation of
the place, date and time of the holding of a regular or special national election
and the requirements for the participation of qualified citizens of the Philippines
abroad, at least six (6) months before the date set for the filing of applications for
registration.
The Commission shall determine the countries where publication shall be
made, and the frequency thereof, taking into consideration the number of
overseasFilipinos present in such countries. Likewise, the Commission and the
Department of Foreign Affairs shall post the same in their respective websites.
SECTION 11. Procedure for Application to Vote in Absentia. —
11.1. Every qualified citizen of the Philippines abroad whose application
for registration has been approved, including those previously

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 registered underRepublic Act No. 8189, shall, in every national
election, file with the officer of the embassy, consulate or other
foreign service establishment authorized by the Commission, a
sworn written application to vote in a form prescribed by the
Commission. The authorized officer of such embassy, consulate or
other foreign service establishment shall transmit to the Commission
the said application to vote within five (5) days from receipt thereof.
The application form shall be accomplished in triplicate and
submitted together with the photocopy of his/her overseas absentee
voter certificate of registration.
11.2. Every application to vote in absentia may be done personally at, or
by mail to, the embassy, consulate or foreign service establishment,
which has jurisdiction over the country where he/she has indicated
his/her address for purposes of the elections.
11.3. Consular and diplomatic services rendered in connection with the
overseas absentee voting processes shall be made available at no
cost to theoverseas absentee voter. SEIDAC
SECTION 12. Verification and Approval of Application to Vote. — All
applications shall be acted upon by the Commission upon receipt thereof, but in
no case later than one hundred fifty (150) days before the day of elections. In the
event of disapproval of the application, the voter or his authorized representative
may file a Motion for Reconsideration with the Commission personally, or by
registered mail, within ten (10) days from receipt of the notice of disapproval. The
Commission shall act within five (5) days from receipt of such Motion for
Reconsideration and shall immediately notify the voter of its decision. The
decision of the Commission shall be final and executory.
The Commission shall issue an overseas absentee voter identification card
to those whose applications to vote have been approved.
SECTION 13. Preparation and Posting of Certified List of Overseas
Absentee Voters. — The Commission shall prepare the Certified List of
OverseasAbsentee Voters within one hundred twenty (120) days before every
election, and furnish within the same period copies thereof to the appropriate
embassies, consulates and other foreign service establishments, which shall
post the same in their bulletin boards within ten (10) days from receipt thereof.
aDSAEI

Subject to reasonable regulation and the payment of fees in such amounts

as may be fixed by the Commission, the candidates, political parties, accredited

125
citizens' arms, interested persons and all embassies, consulates and other
foreign service establishments shall be furnished copies thereof.
SECTION 14. Printing and Transmittal of Ballots, Voting Instructions,
Election Forms and Paraphernalia. —
14.1. The Commission shall cause the printing of ballots for overseas
absentee voters, voting instructions, and election forms in such
number as may be necessary, but in no case shall it exceed the total
number of approved applications. Security markings shall be used
in the printing of ballots for overseasabsentee voters.
14.2. The Commission shall present to the authorized representatives of
the Department of Foreign Affairs and the accredited major political
parties the ballots for overseas absentee voters, voting instructions,
election forms and other election paraphernalia for scrutiny and
inspection prior to their transmittal to the embassies, consulates and
other foreign service establishments concerned. SEIDAC
14.3. The Commission shall, not later than seventy-five (75) days before
the day of elections, transmit by special pouch to the embassies,
consulates and other foreign service establishments, the exact
number of ballots for overseas absentee voters corresponding to the
number of approved applications, along with such materials and
election paraphernalia necessary to ensure the secrecy and integrity
of the election.
14.4. The authorized representatives of accredited major political parties
shall have the right to be present in all phases of printing, transmittal,
and castingof ballots abroad. Unclaimed ballots properly marked as
such, shall be cancelled and shipped to the Commission by the least
costly method.
SECTION 15. Regulation on Campaigning Abroad. — The use of
campaign materials, as well as the limits on campaign spending shall be
governed by the laws and regulations applicable in the Philippines.
SECTION 16. Casting and Submission of Ballots. —
16.1. Upon receipt by the designated officer of the embassy, consulate and
other foreign service establishments of the ballots for overseas
absenteevoters, voting instructions, election forms and other
paraphernalia, he/she shall make them available on the premises to
the qualified overseas absenteevoters in their respective

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 jurisdictions during the thirty (30) days before the day of elections
when overseas absentee voters may cast their vote. Immediately
upon receiving it, the overseas absentee voter must fill-out his/her
ballot personally, in secret, without leaving the premises of the
embassies, consulates and other foreign service establishments
concerned.
16.2. The overseas absentee voter shall personally accomplish his/her
ballot at the embassy, consulate or other foreign service
establishment that has jurisdiction over the country where he/she
temporarily resides or at any polling place designated and
accredited by the Commission.
16.3. The overseas absentee voter shall cast his ballot, upon presentation
of the absentee voter identification card issued by the Commission,
within thirty (30) days before the day of elections. In the case of
seafarers, they shall cast their ballots anytime within sixty (60) days
before the day of elections as prescribed in the Implementing Rules
and Guidelines.
16.4. All accomplished ballots received shall be placed unopened inside
sealed containers and kept in a secure place designated by the
Commission.
16.5. The embassies, consulates and other foreign service establishments
concerned shall keep a complete record of the ballots for overseas
absenteevoters, specifically indicating the number of ballots they
actually received, and in cases where voting by mail is allowed under
Section 17 hereof, the names and addresses of the voters to whom
these ballots were sent, including proof of receipt thereof. In
addition, the embassies, consulates and other foreign service
establishments shall submit a formal report to the Commission and
the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee created under this
Actwithin thirty (30) days from the day of elections. Such report shall
contain data on the number of ballots cast and received by the
offices, the number ofinvalid and unclaimed ballots and other
pertinent data. SEIDAC

16.6. The overseas absentee voter shall be instructed that his/her ballot
shall not be counted if it is not inside the special envelope furnished
him/her when it is cast.

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16.7. Ballots not claimed by the overseas absentee voters at the
embassies, consulates and other foreign service establishments, in
case of personal voting, and ballots returned to the embassies,
consulates and other foreign service establishments concerned, in
the case of voting by mail, shall be cancelled and shipped to the
Commission by the least costly method within six (6) months from
the day of elections.
16.8. Only ballots cast, and mailed ballots received by the Philippine
embassies, consulates and other foreign service establishments
concerned in accordance with Section 17 hereof before the close of
voting on the day of elections shall be counted in accordance with
Section 18 hereof. All envelopes containing the ballots received by
the embassies, consulates and other foreign service establishments
after the prescribed period shall not be opened, and shall be
cancelled and shipped to the Commission by the least costly method
within six (6) months from the day of elections.
16.9. A Special Ballot Reception and Custody Group composed of three
(3) members shall be constituted by the Commission from among
the staff of the embassies, consulates and other foreign service
establishments concerned, including their attached agencies, and
citizens of the Philippines abroad, who will be deputized to receive
ballots and take custody of the same preparatory to their transmittal
to the Special Boards of Election Inspectors.
16.10. During this phase of the election process, the authorized
representatives of political parties, candidates, and accredited
citizens' arms of the Commission shall be notified in writing thereof
and shall have the right to witness the proceedings. SEIDAC
16.11. The Commission shall study the use of electronic mail, internet, or
other secured networks in the casting of votes, and submit a report
thereon to the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee.
SECTION 17. Voting by Mail. —
17.1. For the May, 2004 elections, the Commission shall authorize voting
by mail in not more than three (3) countries, subject to the approval
of the Congressional Oversight Committee. Voting by mail may be
allowed in countries that satisfy the following conditions:

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 a) Where the mailing system is fairly well-developed and secure to
prevent occasion for fraud;
b) Where there exists a technically established identification system
that would preclude multiple or proxy voting; and,
c) Where the system of reception and custody of mailed ballots in
the embassies, consulates and other foreign service
establishments concerned are adequate and well-secured.
Thereafter, voting by mail in any country shall be allowed only
upon review and approval of the Joint Congressional Oversight
Committee.
17.2. The overseas absentee voter shall send his/her accomplished ballot
to the corresponding embassy, consular or foreign service
establishment that has jurisdiction over the country where he/she
temporarily resides. He/she shall be entitled to cast his/her ballot at
any time upon his/her receipt thereof, provided that the same is
received before the close of voting on the day of elections. The
overseas absentee voter shall be instructed that his/her ballot shall
not be counted if not transmitted in the special envelope furnished
him/her.
17.3. Only mailed ballots received by the Philippine embassy, consulate
and other foreign service establishments before the close of voting
on the day ofelections shall be counted in accordance with Section
18 hereof. All envelopes containing the ballots received by the
embassies, consulates and other foreign service establishments
after the prescribed period shall not be opened, and shall be
cancelled and disposed of appropriately, with a corresponding report
thereon submitted to the Commission not later than thirty (30) days
from the day of elections. SEIDAC
SECTION 18. On-Site Counting and Canvassing. —
18.1. The counting and canvassing of votes shall be conducted on site in
the country where the votes were actually cast. The opening of the
specially-marked envelopes containing the ballots and the counting
and canvassing of votes shall be conducted within the premises of
the embassies, consulates and other foreign service establishments
or in such other places as may be designated by the Commission
pursuant to the Implementing Rules and Regulations. The

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 Commission shall ensure that the start of counting in all polling
places abroad shall be synchronized with the start of counting in the
Philippines.
18.2. For these purposes, the Commission shall constitute as many
Special Boards of Election Inspectors as may be necessary to
conduct and supervise the counting of votes as provided in Section
18.1 hereof. The Special Board of Election Inspectors to be
constituted herein shall be composed of a Chairman and two (2)
members, one (1) of whom shall be designated as poll clerk. The
ambassador or consul-general, or any career public officer posted
abroad designated by the Commission, as the case may be, shall
act as the chairman; in the absence of other government officers,
the two (2) other members shall be citizens of the Philippines who
are qualified to vote under this Act and deputized by the Commission
not later than sixty (60) days before the dayof elections. All
resolutions of the Special Board of Election Inspectors on issues
brought before it during the conduct of its proceedings shall be valid
only when they carry the approval of the chairman.
Immediately upon the completion of the counting, the Special
Boards of Election Inspectors shall transmit via facsimile and/or
electronic mail the results to the Commission in Manila and the
accredited major political parties.
18.3. Only ballots cast on, or received by the embassies, consulates and
other foreign service establishments before the close of voting on
the day ofelections shall be included in the counting of votes. Those
received afterwards shall not be counted.
18.4. A Special Board of Canvassers composed of a lawyer preferably of
the Commission as chairman, a senior career officer from any of the
government agencies maintaining a post abroad and, in the absence
of another government officer, a citizen of the Philippines qualified
to vote under this Actdeputized by the Commission, as vice-
chairman and member-secretary, respectively, shall be constituted
to canvass the election returns submitted to it by the Special Boards
of Election Inspectors. Immediately upon the completion of the
canvass, the chairman of the Special Board of Canvassers shall
transmit via facsimile, electronic mail, or any other means of
transmission equally safe and reliable the Certificates of Canvass
and the Statements ofVotes to the Commission, and shall cause to

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 preserve the same immediately after the conclusion of the canvass,
and make it available upon instructionsof the Commission. The
Special Board of Canvassers shall also furnish the accredited major
political parties and accredited citizens' arms with copies thereof via
facsimile, electronic mail and any other means of transmission
equally safe, secure and reliable.
The Certificates of Canvass and the accompanying
Statements of Votes as transmitted via facsimile, electronic mail and
any other means oftransmission equally safe, secure and reliable
shall be the primary basis for the national canvass.
18.5. The canvass of votes shall not cause the delay of the proclamation
of a winning candidate if the outcome of the election will not be
affected by the results thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Commission is empowered to order the proclamation of winning
candidates despite the fact that the scheduled election has not taken
place in a particular country or countries, if the holding of elections
therein has been rendered impossible by events, factors and
circumstances peculiar to such country or countries, and which
events, factors and circumstances are beyond the control or
influence of the Commission. SEIDAC
18.6. In the preparation of the final tally of votes on the results of the
national elections, the Commission shall ensure that the votes
canvassed by each and every country shall be reflected as a
separate item from the tally of national votes. For purposes of this
Act, the returns of every election for president and vice-president
prepared by the Special Board of Canvassers shall be deemed a
certificate of canvass of a city or a province.
18.7. Where feasible, the counting and canvassing of votes shall be
automated. Towards this end, the Commission is hereby authorized
to borrow, rent, lease or acquire automated voting machines for
purposes of canvassing and counting of votes pursuant to the
provisions of this Act, and in accordance with the Implementing
Rules and Regulations promulgated by the Commission.
SECTION 19. Authority of the Commission to Promulgate Rules. — The
Commission shall issue the necessary rules and regulations to effectively
implement the provisions of this Act within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of
this Act. The Implementing Rules and Regulations shall be submitted to the Joint

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Congressional Oversight Committee created by virtue of this Act for prior
approval.
In the formulation of the rules and regulations, the Commission shall
coordinate with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Labor and
Employment, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Overseas
Workers' Welfare Administration and the Commission on Filipinos Overseas.
Non-government organizations and accredited Filipino organizations or
associations abroad shall be consulted. SEIDAC
SECTION 20. Information Campaign. — The Commission, in coordination
with agencies concerned, shall undertake an information campaign to educate
the public on the manner of absentee voting for qualified overseas absentee
voters. It may require the support and assistance of the Department of Foreign
Affairs, through the embassies, consulates and other foreign service
establishments, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of
Transportation and Communications, Philippine Postal Corporation, Philippine
Overseas Employment Administration, Overseas Workers' Welfare
Administration and the Commission on Filipinos Overseas. The Commission may
deputize Filipino organizations/associations overseas for the same purpose:
Provided, That any such deputized organization/association shall be prohibited
from participating in the elections by campaigning for or fielding candidates;
Provided, further, That if any such deputized organization/association is
discovered to have a member who is not a qualified overseas absentee voter as
herein defined, such deputized organization/association shall be banned from
participating in any manner, and at any stage, in the Philippine political process
abroad.
Such information campaign shall educate the Filipino public, within and
outside the Philippines, on the rights of overseas absentee voters, absentee
votingprocesses and other related concerns. Information materials shall be
developed by the Commission for distribution, through the said government
agencies and private organizations. No government agency or accredited private
organizations shall prepare, print, distribute or post in websites any information
material without the prior approval of the Commission.
SECTION 21. Access to Official Records and Documents. — Subject to
the pertinent provisions of this Act, any person shall have the right to access
and/or copy at his expense all registration records, voters lists and other official
records and documents, subject to reasonable regulations as may be imposed
by the Commission.

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 SECTION 22. Assistance from Government Agencies. — All government
officers, particularly from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Labor
and Employment, Department of Transportation and Communications, Philippine
Postal Corporation, Philippine Overseas Employment Administration,
OverseasWorkers' Welfare Administration, Commission on Filipinos Overseas
and other government offices concerned with the welfare of the Filipinos
overseas shall, to the extent compatible with their primary responsibilities, assist
the Commission in carrying out the provisions of this Act. All such agencies or
officers thereof shall take reasonable measures to expedite all election activities,
which the Commission shall require of them. When necessary, the Commission
may send supervisory teams headed by career officers to assist the embassies,
consulates and other foreign service establishments concerned.
SECTION 23. Security Measures to Safeguard the Secrecy and Sanctity
of Ballots. — At all stages of the electoral process, the Commission shall ensure
that the secrecy and integrity of the ballots are preserved. The Committee on
Absentee Voting of the Commission shall be responsible for ensuring the secrecy
and sanctity of the absentee voting process. In the interest of transparency, all
necessary and practicable measures shall be adopted to allow representation of
the candidates, accredited major political parties, accredited citizens' arms and
non-government organizations to assist, and intervene in appropriate cases, in
all stagesof the electoral exercise and to prevent any and all forms of fraud and
coercion. SEIDAC
No officer or member of the foreign service corps, including those
belonging to attached agencies shall be transferred, promoted, extended,
recalled or otherwise moved from his current post or position one (1) year before
and three (3) months after the day of elections, except upon the approval of the
Commission.
SECTION 24. Prohibited Acts. — In addition to the prohibited acts provided
by law, it shall be unlawful:
24.1. For any officer or employee of the Philippine government to influence
or attempt to influence any person covered by this Act to vote, or not
to vote, for a particular candidate. Nothing in this Act shall be
deemed to prohibit free discussion regarding politics or candidates
for public office.
24.2. For any person to deprive any person of any right secured in this Act,
or to give false information as to his/her name, address, or period of
residence for the purposes of establishing his/her eligibility or

133
 ineligibility to register or vote under this Act; or to conspire with
another person for the purpose ofencouraging the giving of false
information in order to establish the eligibility or ineligibility of any
individual to register or vote under this Act; or, to pay, or offer to pay,
or to accept payment either for application to vote in absentia or for
voting;
24.3. For any person to tamper with the ballot, the mail containing the
ballots for overseas absentee voters, the election returns, including
the destruction, mutilation and manipulation thereof;
24.4. For any person to steal, destroy, conceal, mutilate or alter any record,
document or paper as required for purposes of this Act;
24.5. For any deputized agent to refuse without justifiable ground, to serve
or continue serving, or to comply with his/her sworn duties after
acceptance ofhis/her appointment;
24.6. For any public officer or employee who shall cause the preparation,
printing, distribution of information material, or post the same in
websites without the prior approval of the Commission;
24.7. For any public officer or employee to cause the transfer, promotion,
extension, recall of any member of the foreign service corps,
including membersof the attached agencies, or otherwise cause the
movement of any such member from his current post or position one
(1) year before and three (3) months after the day of elections,
without securing the prior approval of the Commission;
24.8. For any person who, after being deputized by the Commission to
undertake activities in connection with the implementation of this
Act, shall campaign for or assist, in whatever manner, candidates in
the elections;
24.9. For any person who is not a citizen of the Philippines to participate,
by word or deed, directly or indirectly through qualified
organizations/associations, in any manner and at any stage of the
Philippine political process abroad, including participation in the
campaign and elections. SEIDAC
The provision of existing laws to the contrary notwithstanding, and with due
regard to the Principle of Double Criminality, the prohibited acts described in this
section are electoral offenses and punishable in the Philippines.

134
 The penalties imposed under Section 264 of the Omnibus Election Code,
as amended, shall be imposed on any person found guilty of committing any of
the prohibited acts as defined in this section: Provided, That the penalty of prision
mayor in its minimum period shall be imposed upon any person found guilty
ofSection 24.3 hereof without the benefit of the operation of the Indeterminate
Sentence Law. If the offender is a public officer or a candidate, the penalty shall
beprision mayor in its maximum period. In addition, the offender shall be
sentenced to suffer perpetual disqualification to hold public office and deprivation
of the right to vote.
Immigrants and permanent residents who do not resume residence in the
Philippines as stipulated in their affidavit under Section 5(d) within three (3) years
after approval of his/her registration under this Act and yet vote in the next
elections contrary to the said section, shall be penalized by imprisonment of not
less than one (1) year, and shall be deemed disqualified as provided in Section
5(c) of this Act. His/her passport shall be stamped "not allowed to vote".
SECTION 25. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee. — A Joint
Congressional Oversight Committee is hereby created, composed of the
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments, Revision of
Codes and Laws, and seven (7) other Senators designated by the Senate
President, and the Chairmanof the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral
Reforms, and seven (7) other Members of the House of Representatives
designated by the Speaker of the Houseof Representatives: Provided, That, of
the seven (7) members to be designated by each House of Congress, four (4)
should come from the majority and the remaining three (3) from the minority.
The Joint Congressional Oversight Committee shall have the power to
monitor and evaluate the implementation of this Act. It shall review, revise,
amend and approve the Implementing Rules and Regulations promulgated by
the Commission.
SECTION 26. Applicability of Other Election Laws. — The pertinent
provisions of the Omnibus Election Code, as amended, and other election laws,
which are not in conflict with the provisions of this Act shall remain in full force
and shall have suppletory application to this Act.
SECTION 27. Enforcement and Administration by the Commission. — The
Commission shall, for the purpose of ensuring honest, orderly, peaceful and free
elections abroad, have exclusive charge of the enforcement, administration and
implementation of this Act.

135
 SECTION 28. Mandatory Review. — Congress shall complete a
mandatory review of this Act within two (2) years following the May, 2004
elections for the purpose of amending it to expand or restrict its coverage, scope
and application, as well as improve its procedures and institute measures and
safeguards, taking into account the experience of the previous election,
technological advances and structural political changes. SEIDAC
SECTION 29. Appropriations. — The amount necessary to carry out the
provisions of this Act shall be provided in a supplemental budget or included in
the General Appropriations Act of the year of its enactment into law. Thereafter,
the expenses for its continued implementation shall be included in the
subsequent General Appropriations Act.
SECTION 30. Separability Clause. — If any part or provision of this Act
shall be declared unconstitutional or invalid, other provisions hereof which are
not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.
SECTION 31. Repealing Clause. — All laws, presidential decrees,
executive orders, rules and regulations, other issuances, and parts thereof, which
are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly.
SECTION 32. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
following its publication in three (3) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved: February 13, 2003
Published in the Manila Times on February 16, 2003. Published in the
Official Gazette, Vol. 99 No. 19 Page 2997 on May 12, 2003.
(The Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003, Republic Act No. 9189, [February
|||

13, 2003])

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10590

AN ACT AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9189, ENTITLED "AN ACT PROVIDING
FOR A SYSTEM OF OVERSEAS ABSENTEE VOTING BY QUALIFIED CITIZENS
OF THE PHILIPPINES ABROAD, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES"

SECTION 1. Section 1 of Republic Act No. 9189 is hereby amended to

read as follows:

136
 "Section 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as "The Overseas
Voting Act of 2013'."

SECTION 2. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 9189 is hereby amended to

read as follows:
"SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. — For purposes of this Act:
"(a) Certified List of Overseas Voters (CLOV) refers to the list of
registered overseas voters whose applications to vote overseas have
been approved by the Commission, said list to be prepared by the Office
for Overseas Voting of the Commission, on a country-by-country and post-
by-post basis. The list shall be approved by the Commission in an en banc
resolution.
"(b) Commission refers to the Commission on Elections.
"(c) Day of Election refers to the actual date of elections in the
Philippines.
"(d) Department of Foreign Affairs Overseas Voting Secretariat
(DFA-OVS) refers to the secretariat based at the Department of Foreign
Affairs (DFA) home office tasked to assist the Office for Overseas Voting
(OFOV) under the Commission, and to direct, coordinate and oversee the
participation of the DFA in the implementation of the Overseas Voting Act.
"(e) Field Registration refers to the conduct of registration of
overseas voters at predetermined locations, either in the Philippines, as
may be determined by the Commission, or outside the posts, upon the
favorable recommendation of the DFA-OVS, both being of limited duration
and based on the guidelines prescribed by the Commission for that
exclusive purpose; the government shall not collect fees for the same.
"(f) Mobile Registration refers to the conduct of registration of
overseas voters at various locations outside the posts, other than at field
registrations, undertaken as part of the posts' mobile consular and
outreach activities to Filipinos within their jurisdictions. ACDTcE
"(g) Municipal/City/District Registry of Overseas Voters (ROV)
refers to the consolidated list prepared, approved and maintained by the
Commission for every municipality/city/district of overseas voters whose
applications for registration as such, including those registered voters
under Republic Act No. 8189, 'Voter's Registration Act of 1996', who
applied for certification as overseas voters, have been approved by the
Election Registration Board and/or resident Election Registration Board.
"(h) National Registry of Overseas Voters (NROV) refers to the
consolidated list prepared, approved and maintained by the Commission
137
of overseas voters whose applications for registration as overseas voters,
including those registered voters under Republic Act No. 8189 who have
applied to be certified as overseas voters, have been approved by the
resident Election Registration Board, indicating the post where the
overseas voter is registered.
"(i) Office for Overseas Voting (OFOV) refers to the Office of the
Commission tasked to oversee and supervise the effective
implementation of theOverseas Voting Act.
"(j) Overseas Voter refers to a citizen of the Philippines who is
qualified to register and vote under this Act, not otherwise disqualified by
law, who is abroad on the day of elections.
"(k) Overseas Voting refers to the process by which qualified
citizens of the Philippines abroad exercise their right to vote.
"(l) Posts refer to the Philippine embassies, consulates, foreign
service establishments and other Philippine government agencies
maintaining offices abroad and having jurisdiction over the places where
the overseas voters reside.
"(m) Resident Election Registration Board (RERB) refers to the in-
house Election Registration Board in every post and in the OFOV, which
processes, approves or disapproves all applications for registration and/or
certification as overseas voters, including the deactivation, reactivation
and cancellation of registration records.
"(n) Seafarers refer to ship officers and ratings manning ships,
including offshore workers, service providers and fishermen, as defined in
the revised rules on the issuance of seafarer's identification and record
book of the Maritime Industry Authority.
"(o) Special Ballot Reception and Custody Group (SBRCG) refers
to the group constituted by the Commission to receive and take custody
of all accountable and other election forms, supplies and paraphernalia
from the OFOV for transmittal to the Special Board of Election Inspectors
and Special Board of Canvassers.
"(p) Special Board of Canvassers (SBOC) refers to the body
deputized by the Commission to canvass the overseas voting election
returns submitted to it by the Special Board of Election Inspectors.
"(q) Special Board of Election Inspectors (SBEI) refers to the body
deputized by the Commission to conduct the voting and counting of votes.

138
 "(r) Voting Period refers to a continuous thirty (30)-day period, the
last day of which is the day of election, inclusive of established holidays
in the Philippines and of such other holidays in the host countries."

SECTION 3. Section 4 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as

follows:
"SEC. 4. Coverage. — All citizens of the Philippines abroad, who are not
otherwise disqualified by law, at least eighteen (18) years of age on the day of
elections, may vote for President, Vice-President, Senators and Party-List
Representatives, as well as in all national referenda and plebiscites." TDCaSE

SECTION 4. Section 5 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as

follows:
"SEC. 5. Disqualifications. — The following shall be disqualified from
registering and voting under this Act:
"(a) Those who have lost their Filipino citizenship in accordance
with Philippine laws;
"(b) Those who have expressly renounced their Philippine
citizenship and who have pledged allegiance to a foreign country, except
those who have reacquired or retained their Philippine citizenship under
Republic Act No. 9225, otherwise known as the 'Citizenship Retention and
Reacquisition Act of 2003';
"(c) Those who have committed and are convicted in a final
judgment by a Philippine court or tribunal of an offense punishable by
imprisonment of not less than one (1) year, such disability not having been
removed by plenary pardon or amnesty: Provided, however, That any
person disqualified to vote under this subsection shall automatically
acquire the right to vote upon the expiration of five (5) years after service
of sentence; and
"(d) Any citizen of the Philippines abroad previously declared
insane or incompetent by competent authority in the Philippines or abroad,
as verified by the Philippine embassies, consulates or foreign service
establishments concerned, unless such competent authority
subsequently certifies that such person is no longer insane or
incompetent."
SECTION 5. Section 6 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as
follows:
"SEC. 6. Personal Overseas Registration and/or Certification. —
Registration and/or certification as an overseas voter shall be done in person at

139
 any post abroad or at designated registration centers outside the post or in the
Philippines approved by the Commission.
"Field and mobile registration centers shall be set up by the posts
concerned to ensure accessibility by the overseas voters.
"All applicants shall submit themselves for live capture of their biometrics.
"The Commission shall issue an overseas voter identification card to those
whose applications to vote have been approved."
SECTION 6. A new Section 7 of the same Act is hereby inserted to read
as follows:
"SEC. 7. Resident Election Registration Board (RERB); Composition,
Appointment, Disqualification and Compensation. — The RERB shall be
composed of the following:
"(a) A career official of the DFA, as Chairperson;
"(b) The most senior officer from the Department of Labor and
Employment (DOLE) or any government agency of the Philippines
maintaining offices abroad, as member: Provided, That in case of
disqualification or nonavailability of the most senior officer from the DOLE
or any government agency of the Philippines maintaining offices abroad,
the Commission shall designate a career official from the embassy or
consulate concerned; and
"(c) A registered overseas voter of known probity, as member.
"The Commission shall appoint the members of the RERB upon the
recommendation of the DFA-OVS.
"The RERB in the OFOV shall be based in the main office of the
Commission and shall be composed of a senior official of the Commission as the
Chairperson and one (1) member each from the DFA and the DOLE, whose rank
shall not be lower than a division chief or its equivalent. EICScD
"No member of the RERB shall be related to each other or to an incumbent
President, Vice-President, Senator or Member of the House of Representatives
representing the party-list system of representation, within the fourth civil degree
of consanguinity or affinity.
"Each member of the RERB shall be entitled to an honorarium at the rates
approved by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM)."
SECTION 7. A new Section 8 of the same Act is hereby inserted to read
as follows:

140
 "SEC. 8. Duties and Functions of the RERB. — The RERB shall have the
following duties and functions:
"(a) Post in the bulletin boards of the embassy or consulates or at
the OFOV, as the case may be, and in their respective websites, the
names of the applicants and the dates when their applications shall be
heard, as well as the place where the RERB will hold its hearing;
"(b) Notify, through the OFOV, all political parties and other parties
concerned of the pending applications through a weekly updated
publication in the website of the Commission;
"(c) Act on all applications received;
"(d) Notify all applicants, whose applications have been
disapproved, stating the reasons for such disapproval;
"(e) Prepare a list of all approved applications during each hearing
and post the same at the bulletin boards of the embassy or consulates or
at the OFOV, as the case may be, and in their respective websites;
"(f) Deactivate the registration records of overseas voters; and
"(g) Perform such other duties as may be consistent with its
functions as provided under this Act."

SECTION 8. A new Section 9 of the same Act is hereby inserted to read

as follows:
"SEC. 9. Petition for Exclusion, Motion for Reconsideration, Petition for
Inclusion. —
"9.1. Petition for Exclusion. — If the application has been approved,
any interested party may file a petition for exclusion not later than one
hundred eighty (180) days before the start of the overseas voting period
with the proper Municipal/Metropolitan Trial Court in the City of Manila or
where the overseas voter resides in the Philippines, at the option of the
petitioner.
"The petition shall be decided on the basis of the documents
submitted within fifteen (15) days from its filing, but not later than one
hundred twenty (120) days before the start of the overseas voting period.
Should the Court fail to render a decision within the prescribed period, the
ruling of the RERB shall be considered affirmed.
"9.2. Motion for Reconsideration. — If the application has been
disapproved, the applicant or the authorized representative shall have the
right to file a motion for reconsideration before the RERB within a period

141
 of five (5) days from receipt of the notice of disapproval. The motion shall
be decided within five (5) days after its filing on the basis of documents
submitted but not later than one hundred twenty (120) days before the
start of the overseas voting period. The resolution of the RERB shall be
immediately executory, unless reversed or set aside by the Court.
"9.3. Petition for Inclusion. — Within ten (10) days from receipt of
notice denying the motion for reconsideration, the applicant may file a
petition for inclusion with the proper Municipal/Metropolitan Trial Court in
the City of Manila or where the overseas voter resides in the Philippines,
at the option of the petitioner. cADEHI
"The petition shall be decided on the basis of the documents submitted
within fifteen (15) days from filing, but not later than one hundred twenty (120)
days before the start of the overseas voting period. Should the Court fail to render
a decision within the prescribed period, the RERB ruling shall be considered
affirmed.
"Qualified Philippine citizens abroad who have previously registered as
voters pursuant to Republic Act No. 8189, otherwise known as the 'Voter's
Registration Act of 1996', shall apply for certification as overseas voters and for
inclusion in the NROV. In case of approval, the Election Officer concerned shall
annotate the fact of registration/certification as overseas voter before the voter's
name as appearing in the certified voters' list and in the voter's registration
records."

SECTION 9. A new Section 10 of the same Act is hereby inserted to read

as follows:
"SEC. 10. Transfer of Registration Record. — In the event of change of
voting venue, an application for transfer of registration record must be filed by
the overseas voter with the OFOV, through its Chairperson, at least one hundred
eighty (180) days prior to the start of the overseas voting period: Provided, That
those who would eventually vote in the Philippines should register within the time
frame provided for local registration in the municipality, city or district where they
intend to vote: Provided, further, That those who have registered in the
municipality, city or district where they resided prior to their departure abroad
need not register anew: Provided, finally, That transferees shall notify the OFOV,
through its Chairperson, of their transfer back to the Philippines at least one
hundred eighty (180) days prior to the next national elections for purposes of
cancelling their names from the CLOV and of removing their overseas voter's
registration from the book of voters."

SECTION 10. Section 7 of the same Act is hereby renumbered as Section

11 and is amended to read as follows:

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 "SEC. 11. System of Continuing Registration. — The Commission shall
ensure that the benefits of the system of continuing registration are extended to
qualified overseas voters. Registration shall commence not later than six (6)
months after the conduct of the last national elections. Towards this end, the
Commission shall be authorized to utilize and optimize the use of existing
facilities, personnel and mechanisms of the various government agencies for
purposes of data gathering and validation, information dissemination and
facilitation of the registration process.
"Pre-departure Orientation Seminars (PDOS), services and mechanisms
offered and administered by the DFA, the DOLE, the Philippine Overseas
Employment Administration (POEA), the Overseas Workers' Welfare
Administration (OWWA), the Commission on Filipinos Overseas and by other
appropriate agencies of the government and private agencies providing the same
services shall include the salient features of this Act and shall be utilized for
purposes of supporting the overseas registration and voting processes.
"All employment contracts processed and approved by the POEA shall
state the right of migrant workers to exercise their constitutional right of suffrage
within the limits provided for by this Act."

SECTION 11. Section 8 of the same Act is hereby renumbered as Section

12 and is amended to read as follows:
"SEC. 12. Requirements for Registration. — Every Filipino registrant shall
be required to furnish the following documents:
"(a) A valid Philippine passport. In the absence of a valid passport,
a certification of the DFA that it has reviewed the appropriate documents
submitted by the applicant and has found them sufficient to warrant the
issuance of a passport, or that the applicant is a holder of a valid passport
but is unable to produce the same for a valid reason;
"(b) Accomplished registration form prescribed by the Commission;
and
"(c) Applicants who availed themselves of the 'Citizen Retention
and Reacquisition Act' (Republic Act No. 9225) shall present the original
or certified true copy of the order of approval of their application to retain
or reacquire their Filipino citizenship issued by the post or their
identification certificate issued by the Bureau of Immigration. CIAcSa
"The Commission may also require additional data to facilitate registration
and recording. No information other than those necessary to establish the identity
and qualification of the applicant shall be required.

143
 "All applications for registration and/or certification as an overseas voter
shall be considered as applications to vote overseas. An overseas voter is
presumed to be abroad until she/he applies for transfer of her/his registration
records or requests that her/his name be cancelled from the NROV."

SECTION 12. Section 9 of the same Act is hereby renumbered as Section

13 and is amended to read as follows:
"SEC. 13. National Registry of Overseas Voters (NROV). — The
Commission shall maintain a National Registry of Overseas Voters or NROV
containing the names of registered overseas voters and the posts where they are
registered.
"Likewise, the Commission shall maintain a registry of voters (ROV) per
municipality, city or district containing the names of registered overseas voters
domiciled therein. The Commission shall provide each and every municipality,
city or district with a copy of their respective ROVS for their reference."

SECTION 13.A new Section 14 of the same Act is hereby inserted to read
as follows:
"SEC. 14. Deactivation of Registration. — The RERB shall deactivate and
remove the registration records of the following persons from the corresponding
book of voters and place the same, properly marked and dated, in the inactive
file after entering any of the following causes of deactivation:
"(a) Any person who has been sentenced by final judgment by a
Philippine court or tribunal to suffer imprisonment for not less than one (1)
year, such disability not having been removed by plenary pardon or
amnesty: Provided, however, That any person disqualified to vote under
this paragraph shall automatically reacquire the right to vote upon the
expiration of five (5) years after service of sentence, as certified by the
Clerks of Courts of the Municipal, Municipal Circuit, Metropolitan,
Regional Trial Courts or the Sandiganbayan;
"(b) Any person declared by competent authority to be insane or
incompetent, unless such disqualification has been subsequently
removed by a declaration of a proper authority that such person is no
longer insane or incompetent;
"(c) Any person who did not vote in two (2) consecutive national
elections as shown by voting records; and
"(d) Any person whose registration has been ordered excluded by
the courts.

144
 "The fact of deactivation shall be annotated in the NROV and the
corresponding ROV."

SECTION 14. Section 10 of the same Act is hereby renumbered as Section

15.
"SEC. 15. Notice of Registration and Election. — The Commission shall,
through the posts cause the publication in a newspaper of general circulation of
the place, date and time of the holding of a regular or special national election
and the requirements for the participation of qualified citizens of the Philippines
abroad, at least six (6) months before the date set for the filing of applications for
registration.
"The Commission shall determine the countries where publication shall be
made, and the frequency thereof, taking into consideration the number of
overseas Filipinos present in such countries. Likewise, the Commission and the
DFA shall post the same in their respective websites."

SECTION 15. Sections 11 and 12 of the same Act are hereby deleted. cEISAD
SECTION 16. A new Section 16 of the same Act is hereby inserted to read
as follows:
"SEC. 16. Reactivation of Registration. — Any overseas voter whose
registration has been deactivated pursuant to the preceding section may file with
the RERB at any time, but not later than one hundred twenty (120) days before
the start of the overseas voting period, a sworn application for reactivation of
registration stating that the grounds for the deactivation no longer exist."
SECTION 17. A new Section 17 of the same Act is hereby inserted to read
as follows:
"SEC. 17. Cancellation of Registration. — The RERB shall cancel the
registration records of those who have died, as certified by either the posts or by
thelocal civil registrar, and those who have been proven to have lost their Filipino
citizenship."

SECTION 18. A new Section 18 of the same Act is hereby inserted to read
as follows:
"SEC. 18. Voters Excluded from the NROV Through Inadvertence. — Any
registered overseas voter whose name has been inadvertently omitted from the
NROV may, personally or through an authorized representative, file with the
RERB through the OFOV or the post exercising jurisdiction over the voter's
residence, an application under oath for reinstatement not later than one hundred
twenty (120) days before the start of the voting period.

145
 "The RERB shall resolve the application within one (1) month from receipt
thereof, otherwise the application shall be deemed approved."

SECTION 19. A new Section 19 of the same Act is hereby inserted to read
as follows:
"SEC. 19. Application for Correction of Entries and Change of Name. —
Any registered overseas voter who intends to change her/his name by reason of
marriage, death of husband, or final court judgment; or to correct a misspelled
name or any erroneous entry in the NROV, CLOV and voter's identification card
may, personally or through an authorized representative, file an application under
oath for change of name or correction of entries with the RERB through the
OFOV or the post exercising jurisdiction over the voter's residence not later than
ninety (90) days before the start of the voting period.
"The RERB shall resolve the application within one (1) month from receipt
thereof, otherwise the application shall be deemed approved."

SECTION 20. Section 13 of the same Act is hereby renumbered as Section

20 and is amended to read as follows:
"SEC. 20. Preparation and Posting of Certified List of Overseas Voters.
— The Commission shall prepare the Certified List of Overseas Voters or CLOV
not later than ninety (90) days before the start of the overseas voting period, and
furnish within the same period electronic and hard copies thereof to the
appropriate posts, which shall post the same in their bulletin boards and/or
websites within ten (10) days from receipt thereof.
"Subject to reasonable regulation and the payment of fees in such
amounts as may be fixed by the Commission, the candidates, political parties,
accredited citizens' arms, and all other interested persons shall be furnished
copies thereof: Provided, That nongovernmental organizations and other civil
society organizations accredited by and working with the Commission as
partners on overseas voters' education and participation shall be exempt from
the payment of fees."

SECTION 21. Section 14 of the same Act is hereby renumbered as Section

21 and is amended to read as follows:
"SEC. 21. Printing and Transmittal of Ballots, Voting Instructions, Election
Forms and Paraphernalia. —
"21.1. The Commission shall cause the printing of ballots for
overseas voters, and all other accountable election forms in such number
as may be necessary, but in no case shall these exceed the total number
of approved applications. Security markings shall be used in the printing
of ballots for overseas voters.

146
 "21.2. The Commission shall present to the authorized
representatives of the DFA and of the accredited major political parties
the ballots for overseas voters, voting instructions, election forms and
other election paraphernalia for scrutiny and inspection prior to their
transmittal to the posts. ACcISa
"21.3. The Commission shall transmit, as far as practicable, but not
later than forty-five (45) days before the day of elections, by special pouch
to all posts the exact number of ballots for overseas voters corresponding
to the number of approved applications, along with such accountable
forms necessary to ensure the secrecy and integrity of the election.
"21.4. The authorized representatives of accredited major political
parties shall have the right to be present in all phases of printing,
transmittal, and casting of mailed ballots abroad. Unclaimed ballots
properly marked as such, shall be cancelled and shipped to the
Commission by the least costly method."
SECTION 22. Section 15 of the same Act is hereby renumbered as Section
22 and is amended to read as follows:
"SEC. 22. Regulation on Campaigning Abroad. — Personal campaigning,
the use of campaign materials, as well as the limits on campaign spending shall
be governed by the laws and regulations applicable in the Philippines: Provided,
That all forms of campaigning abroad within the thirty (30)-day overseas voting
period shall be prohibited."

SECTION 23. A new Section 23 of the same Act is hereby inserted to read
as follows:
"SEC. 23. Voting. — Voting may be done either personally, by mail or by
any other means as may be determined by the Commission. For this purpose,
the Commission shall issue the necessary guidelines on the manner and
procedures of voting.
"The OFOV, in consultation with the DFA-OVS, shall determine the
countries where voting shall be done by any specific mode, taking into
consideration the minimum criteria enumerated under this Act which shall include
the number of registered voters, accessibility of the posts, efficiency of the host
country's applied system and such other circumstances that may affect the
conduct of voting.
"The Commission shall announce the specific mode of voting per
country/post at least one hundred twenty (120) days before the start of the voting
period."

147
 SECTION 24. Section 16 of the same Act is hereby renumbered as Section
24 and is amended to read as follows:
"SEC. 24. Casting and Submission of Ballots. —
"24.1. Upon receipt by the SBEI of the ballots for overseas voters,
voting instructions, election forms and other paraphernalia, they shall
make these available on the premises to the qualified overseas voters in
their respective jurisdictions during the thirty (30) days before the day of
elections when overseas voters may cast their vote. Immediately upon
receiving it, the overseas voter must fill-out her/his ballot personally, in
secret, without leaving the premises of the posts concerned.
"24.2. The overseas voter shall personally accomplish her/his
ballot at the post that has jurisdiction over the country where she/he
temporarily resides or at any polling place designated and accredited by
the Commission.
"24.3. The overseas voter shall cast her/his ballot, upon
presentation of the voter identification card issued by the Commission or
such other documents deemed by the SBEI at the post as sufficient to
establish the voter's identity.
"24.4. . . .
"24.5. The posts concerned shall keep a complete record of the
ballots for overseas voters, specifically indicating the number of ballots
they actually received, and in cases where voting by mail is allowed under
Section 25 hereof, the names and addresses of the voters to whom these
ballots were sent, including proof of receipt thereof. In addition, the posts
shall submit a formal report to the Commission and the Joint
Congressional Oversight Committee created under this Act within thirty
(30) days from the day of elections. Such report shall contain data on the
number of ballots cast and received by the offices, the number of invalid
and unclaimed ballots and other pertinent data. aIcTCS
"24.6. Ballots not claimed by the overseas voters at the posts, in
case of personal voting, and ballots returned to the posts concerned, in
the case ofvoting by mail, shall be cancelled and shipped to the
Commission by the least costly method within six (6) months from the day
of elections.
"24.7. Only ballots cast, and mailed ballots received by the posts
concerned in accordance with Section 25 hereof before the close of voting
on the day of elections shall be counted in accordance with Section 27
hereof. All envelopes containing the ballots received by the posts after the
prescribed period shall not be opened, and shall be cancelled and shipped
148
 to the Commission by the least costly method within six (6) months from
the day of elections.
"24.8. A special ballot Reception and Custody Group composed of
three (3) members shall be constituted by the Commission from among
the staff of the posts concerned, including their attached agencies, and
citizens of the Philippines abroad, who will be deputized to receive ballots
and take custody of the same preparatory to their transmittal to the SBEI.
"24.9. . . .
"24.10. . . . ."

SECTION 25. Section 17 of the same Act is hereby renumbered as Section

25 and is amended to read as follows:
"SEC. 25. Voting by Mail. —
"25.1.. . .
"(a). . . ;
"(b). . . ; and
"(c). . . .
"25.2. The overseas voter shall send her/his accomplished ballot to
the corresponding post that has jurisdiction over the country where she/he
temporarily resides. She/He shall be entitled to cast her/his ballot at any
time upon her/his receipt thereof: Provided, That the same is received
before the close of voting on the day of elections. The overseas absentee
voter shall be instructed that her/his ballot shall not be counted if not
transmitted in the special envelope furnished her/him.
"25.3. Only mailed ballots received by the post before the close of
voting on the day of elections shall be counted in accordance with Section
27 hereof. All envelopes containing the ballots received by the posts after
the prescribed period shall not be opened, and shall be cancelled and
disposed of appropriately, with a corresponding report thereon submitted
to the Commission not later than thirty (30) days from the day of elections."
SECTION 26. A new Section 26 of the same Act is hereby inserted to read
as follows:
"SEC. 26. Voting Privilege of Members of the SBEI, SBRCG and SBOC.
— Government employees posted abroad who will perform election duties as
members of the SBEI, SBCRG and SBOC shall be allowed to vote in their
respective posts: Provided, That they are registered either in the Philippines or
as overseas voters."

149
 SECTION 27. Section 18 of the same Act is hereby renumbered as Section
27 and is amended to read as follows:
"SEC. 27. On-Site Counting and Canvassing. —
"27.1. . . .
"27.2. For these purposes, the Commission shall constitute as
many SBEIs as may be necessary to conduct and supervise the counting
of votes as provided in Section 27.2 hereof. The SBEIs to be constituted
herein shall be composed of a Chairman and two (2) members, one (1) of
whom shall be designated as poll clerk. The ambassador or consul-
general, or any career public officer posted abroad designated by the
Commission, as the case may be, shall act as the Chairman; in the
absence of other government officers, the two (2) other members shall be
citizens of the Philippines who are qualified to vote under this Act and
deputized by the Commission not later than sixty (60) days before the day
of elections. All resolutions of the SBEIs on issues brought before it during
the conduct of its proceedings shall be valid only when they carry the
approval of the Chairman. aSAHCE
"Immediately upon the completion of the counting, the SBEIs shall
transmit via facsimile and/or electronic mail the results to the Commission
in Manila and the accredited major political parties.
"xxx xxx xxx
"27.3. . . .
"27.4. The SBOC composed of the highest ranking officer of the
post as Chairperson, a senior career officer from any of the government
agencies maintaining a post abroad and, in the absence of another
government officer, a citizen of the Philippines qualified to vote under this
Act and deputized by the Commission, as vice chairperson and member-
secretary, respectively, shall be constituted to canvass the election
returns submitted to it by the SBEIs. Immediately upon the completion of
the canvass, the chairperson of the SBOC shall transmit via facsimile,
electronic mail, or any other means of transmission equally safe and
reliable the Certificates of Canvass and the Statements of Votes to the
Commission, and shall cause to preserve the same immediately after the
conclusion of the canvass, and make it available upon instructions of the
Commission. The SBOC shall also furnish the accredited major political
parties and accredited citizens' arms with copies thereof via facsimile,
electronic mail and any other means of transmission equally safe, secure
and reliable.
"xxx xxx xxx

150
 "27.5. . . .
"27.6. . . . . For purposes of this Act, the returns of every election
for President and Vice-President prepared by the SBOCs shall be deemed
a certificate of canvass of a city or a province.
"27.7. . . . ."
SECTION 28. A new Section 28 of the same Act is hereby inserted to read
as follows:
"SEC. 28. Authority to Explore Other Modes or Systems Using Automated
Election System. — Notwithstanding current procedures and systems herein
provided, for the proper implementation of this Act and in view of the peculiarities
attendant to the overseas voting process, the Commission may explore other
more efficient, reliable and secure modes or systems, ensuring the secrecy and
sanctity of the entire process, whether paper-based, electronic-based or internet-
based technology or such other latest technology available, for onsite and remote
registration and elections and submit reports and/or recommendations to the
Joint Congressional Oversight Committee."

SECTION 29. A new Section 29 of the same Act is hereby inserted to read
as follows:
"SEC. 29. Procurement of Facilities, Equipment, Materials, Supplies or
Services. — To achieve the purpose of this Act, the Commission may, likewise,
procure from local or foreign sources, through purchase, lease, rent or other
forms of acquisition, hardware or software, facilities, equipment, materials,
supplies or services in accordance with existing laws, free from taxes and import
duties, subject to government procurement rules and regulations."
SECTION 30. A new Section 30 of the same Act is hereby inserted to read
as follows:
"SEC. 30. Establishment of an Office for Overseas Voting (OFOV) under
the Commission. — The Commission is hereby authorized to establish an OFOV
tasked specifically to oversee and supervise the effective implementation of the
Overseas Voting Act: Provided, That its secretariat shall come from the existing
secretariat personnel of the Commission on Elections."

SECTION 31. A new Section 31 of the same Act is hereby inserted to read
as follows:
"SEC. 31. Creation of the Department of Foreign Affairs Overseas Voting
Secretariat (DFA-OVS). — A secretariat based in the DFA home office is hereby
created to assist the OFOV, and to direct, coordinate and oversee the
participation of the DFA in the implementation of the Overseas Voting Act:

151
 Provided, That its secretariat shall come from the existing secretariat personnel
of the DFA."

SECTION 32. Section 19 of the same Act is hereby deleted.

SECTION 33. Section 20 of the same Act is hereby renumbered as Section
32 and is amended to read as follows:
"SEC. 32. Information Campaign. — The Commission, in coordination
with agencies concerned, shall undertake an information campaign to educate
the public on the manner of overseas voting for qualified overseas voters. It may
require the support and assistance of the DFA, through the posts, the DOLE, the
Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), the Philippine
Postal Corporation (PPC), the POEA, the OWWA and the Commission on
Filipinos Overseas.IDETCA
Such information campaign shall educate the Filipino public, within and
outside the Philippines, on the Philippine Electoral System, the rights of overseas
voters, overseas voting processes and other related concerns. Information
materials shall be developed by the Commission for distribution, through the said
government agencies and private organizations. No government agency shall
prepare, print, distribute or post any information material without the prior
approval of the Commission."

SECTION 34. Section 21 of the same Act is hereby renumbered as Section

33.
SECTION 35. Section 22 of the same Act is hereby renumbered as Section
34 and is amended to read as follows:
"SEC. 34. Assistance from Government Agencies. — All government
officers, particularly from the DFA, the DOLE, the DOTC, the PPC, the POEA,
the OWWA, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas and other government offices
concerned with the welfare of the Filipinos overseas shall, to the extent
compatible with their primary responsibilities, assist the Commission in carrying
out the provisions of this Act. All such agencies or officers thereof shall take
reasonable measures to expedite all election activities, which the Commission
shall require of them. When necessary, the Commission may send supervisory
teams headed by career officers to assist the posts.
"Likewise, consular and diplomatic services rendered in connection with
the overseas voting processes shall be made available at no cost to the overseas
voters."

SECTION 36. Section 23 of the same Act is hereby renumbered as Section

35 and is amended to read as follows:

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 "SEC. 35. Security Measures to Safeguard the Secrecy and Sanctity of
Ballots. — At all stages of the electoral process, the Commission shall ensure
that the secrecy and integrity of the ballots are preserved. The OFOV of the
Commission shall be responsible for ensuring the secrecy and sanctity of the
overseas votingprocess. In the interest of transparency, all necessary and
practicable measures shall be adopted to allow representation of the candidates,
accredited major political parties, accredited citizens' arms and nongovernment
organizations to assist, and intervene in appropriate cases, in all stages of the
electoral exercise and to prevent any and all forms of fraud and coercion.
"No officer or member of the foreign service corps, including those
belonging to attached agencies shall be transferred, promoted, extended,
recalled or otherwise moved from his current post or position one (1) year before
and three (3) months after the day of elections, except upon the approval of the
Commission."

SECTION 37. Section 24 of the same Act is hereby renumbered as Section

36 and is amended to read as follows:
"SEC. 36. Prohibited Acts. — In addition to the prohibited acts provided
by law, it shall be unlawful:
"36.1. For any officer or employee of the Philippine government to
influence or attempt to influence any person covered by this Act to vote,
or not to vote, for a particular candidate. Nothing in this Act shall be
deemed to prohibit free discussion regarding politics or candidates for
public office;
"36.2. For any person to deprive another of any right secured in this
Act, or to give false information as to one's name, address, or period of
residence for the purposes of establishing the eligibility or ineligibility to
register or vote under this Act; or to conspire with another person for the
purpose of encouraging the giving of false information in order to establish
the eligibility or ineligibility of any individual to register or vote under this
Act; or, to pay, or offer to pay, or to accept payment either for application
for registration, or for voting; DCSETa
"36.3. For any person to steal, conceal, alter, destroy, mutilate,
manipulate, or in any way tamper with the mail containing the ballots for
overseas voters, the ballot, the election returns, or any record, document
or paper required for purposes of this Act;
"36.4. For any deputized agent to refuse without justifiable ground,
to serve or continue serving, or to comply with one's sworn duties after
acceptance of the deputization;

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 "36.5. For any public officer or employee or accredited or deputized
organization or association to cause the preparation, printing, distribution
or posting of information or material, without the prior approval of the
Commission;
"36.6. For any public officer or employee to cause the transfer,
promotion, extension, recall of any member of the foreign service corps,
including members of the attached agencies, or otherwise cause the
movement of any such member from the current post or position one (1)
year before and three (3) months after the day of elections, without
securing the prior approval of the Commission;
"36.7. For any person who, after being deputized by the
Commission to undertake activities in connection with the implementation
of this Act, shall campaign for or assist, in whatever manner, candidates
in the elections;
"36.8. For any person to engage in partisan political activity abroad
during the thirty (30)-day overseas voting period;
"36.9. For any person who is not a citizen of the Philippines to
participate, by word or deed, directly or indirectly through qualified
organizations/associations, in any manner and at any stage of the
Philippine political process abroad, including participation in the campaign
and elections.
"The provision of existing laws to the contrary notwithstanding, and with
due regard to the Principle of Double Criminality, the prohibited acts described
in this section are electoral offenses and shall be punishable in the Philippines.
"The penalties imposed under Section 264 of the Omnibus Election Code,
as amended, shall be imposed on any person found guilty of committing any of
the prohibited acts as defined in this section: Provided, That the penalty of prision
mayor in its minimum period shall be imposed upon any person found guilty
under Section 36.3 hereof without the benefit of the operation of the
Indeterminate Sentence Law. If the offender is a public officer or a candidate, the
penalty shall beprision mayor in its maximum period. In addition, the offender
shall be sentenced to suffer perpetual disqualification to hold public office and
deprivation of the right to vote."

SECTION 38.Section 25 of the same Act is hereby renumbered as Section

37 and is amended to read as follows:
"SEC. 37. Joint Congressional Oversight Committee. — A Joint
Congressional Oversight Committee is hereby created, composed of the
Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments, Revision
of Codes and Laws, and seven (7) other Senators designated by the Senate
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 President, and the Chairperson of the House Committee on Suffrage and
Electoral Reforms, and seven (7) other Members of the House of
Representatives designated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives:
Provided, That, of the seven (7) members to be designated by each House of
Congress, four (4) should come from the majority to include the chair of the
Committee on Foreign Affairs and the remaining three (3) from the minority.
"The Joint Congressional Oversight Committee shall have the power to
monitor and evaluate the implementation of this Act."

SECTION 39. Sections 26, 27 and 28 of the same Act are hereby
renumbered as Sections 38, 39 and 40, respectively.
SECTION 40. Section 29 of the same Act is hereby renumbered as Section
41 and is amended to read as follows:
"SEC. 41. Appropriations. — The amount necessary to carry out the
provisions of this Act shall be included in the budgets of the Commission on
Elections and the DFA in the annual General Appropriations Act." cTSHaE

SECTION 41. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — The Commission

shall promulgate rules and regulations for the implementation and enforcement
of the provisions of this Act within sixty (60) days from the effectivity thereof.
In the formulation of the rules and regulations, the Commission shall
coordinate with the DFA, the DOLE, the POEA, the OWWA and the Commission
on Filipinos Overseas. Nongovernment organizations and accredited Filipino
organizations or associations abroad shall be consulted.
SECTION 42. Amending Clause. — Consistent with the amendments
introduced by this Act, Section 2 of Republic Act No. 9189, on the declaration of
policy, is hereby amended to read as follows:
"SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the prime duty of the State to provide
a system of honest and orderly overseas voting that upholds the secrecy and
sanctity of the ballot. Towards this end, the State ensures equal opportunity to
all qualified citizens of the Philippines abroad in the exercise of this fundamental
right."

SECTION 43. Separability Clause. — If any part or provision of this Act

shall be declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions hereof which
are not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.
SECTION 44. Repealing Clause. — All laws, presidential decrees,
executive orders, rules and regulations, other issuances and parts thereof which

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 are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly.
SECTION 45. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15)
days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers
of general circulation.
Approved: May 27, 2013.
||| (The Overseas Voting Act of 2013, Republic Act No. 10590, [May 27, 2013])

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