ILOILO City – City and municipal election offices of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Region 6 are ready to receive withdrawal forms pertaining to the People’s Initiative (PI).
“Anyone who has signed the (PI) signature sheets received by us can accomplish this (withdrawal) form and then have it filed,” said Atty. Dennis Ausan, Comelec-6 regional director.
To date, no individual in Western Visayas has submitted a withdrawal form to retract their PI signature.
In Hamtic, Antique, however, a PI proponent took back their entire signature sheets before Comelec could issue withdrawal forms.
Ausan emphasized that election offices are simply tasked with receiving the PI signature sheets and counting the signatures without verifying their authenticity.
He advised those interested in withdrawing their signatures to visit their respective city or municipal election offices, obtain the form, and complete it. While there is an option to state the reason for withdrawal, it is not mandatory.
Personal information required on the withdrawal form includes name, address, precinct number, barangay, city or municipality, province, and district.
Comelec chairman Garcia said signatories do not need to notarize the withdrawal form or provide reasons for their withdrawal, making the process more straightforward for those involved.
In total, the region has received approximately 600,000 signatures for the People’s Initiative./PN
