The Commission on Elections in Negros Occidental has received forms with 182,447 signatures in support of the People’s Initiative to amend the 1987 Constitution, Provincial Election Supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria said Thursday, January 18.
The signature forms as of Thursday came from Bacolod City and 14 other towns and cities in Negros Occidental, he said.
Bacolod City had the most number of signatories at 69,098, COMELEC data showed.
The other signatures came from Calatrava – 11,726, Escalante City – 11,458, San Carlos City – 10,811, Manapla – 6,205, Sagay City – 15,052, Murcia – 4,529, Silay City – 5,904, Talisay City – 4,927, Bago City – 7,725, La Carlota City – 7,376, Pontevedra – 3,969 , Cauayan – 6,848, IIog – 6,609 and Sipalay City – 10,21.
Ananoria said his office just issued certifications that the signatures were received but whatever the proponents want to do with it is up to them.
Bacolod Election Officer Kathrina Trinio-Caña said they just received the signatures for safekeeping until they are ordered by the Comelec en banc to verify them.
The people’s initiative proponent for Bacolod is lawyer Anthony Abad, and the signatures were received by the Bacolod Comelec on January 12, she said.*