SC asked to extend voters’ registration for SK polls
Supreme Court (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)
Youth groups on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to extend the registration period for the upcoming Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) to allow more voters to participate on the October 31, 2016 polls.
In their petition, youth groups led by Akbayan Youth urged the high court to nullify the portion of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Resolution No. 10151 that set the special registration from July 15 to July 30.
READ: Youth group asks Comelec to extend deadline for SK registration period
Petitioners also asked the high court to order Comelec to immediately open the application to the Katipunan ng Kabataan who wish to participate in the SK polls. Akbayan Youth together with the Student Council Alliance of the Philippines (SCAP), First Time Voters Network, the Sangguniang Kabataan Reform Coalition, Center for Youth Advocacy and Networking (CYAN), Bigkis ng mga Iskolar para sa Baan Tungo sa Makabuluhang Pagbabago (BIGKIS-UPM) and 16-year-old Remwel Manlangit said Comelec violated Republic Act 10742 or the SK Law.
They specifically cited Section 31 of the law which provides that special registration of the Katipunan ng Kabataan shall in no case be less than one month and shall include Saturdays and Sundays.
However, the Comelec resolution has set the special registration for a little over two weeks only.
READ: Comelec: No extension of voters’ registration
“Clearly, therefore, the Comelec acted within its power to set the start of the special registration on July 15, 2016.
But it is also clear that the Comelec acted beyond its power when it set the last day of the special registration on July 30, 2016,” petitioners said.
“The period from July 15 to July 30 is inclusive of 16 calendar days, half of the minimum period mandated by Section 31,” petitioners added.
The petition added that the Comelec clearly disregarded the law when it promulgated its resolution “thereby unlawfully disenfranchising youth voters of their right to participate in the SK elections.”RAM/rga
