SPP No. 07-026

For resolution is a petition filed by PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL FOR RESPONSIBLE VOTING (PPCRV for brevity) on August 10, 2007 seeking for accreditation as citizen's arm of the Commission in connection with the October 29, 2007 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections.

The pertinent portion of the instant petition states:

1. The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) for brevity) is a bona fide non-partisan parish based association duly organized by and composed of civic-minded citizens drawn from various sectors of the Philippine society, mandated to help from the civic conscience of the Filipino voters and campaign for an honest, meaningful, and peaceful elections.
2. Petitioner has a mass based national constituency composed of individuals of voting age and registered voters, with operating chapters based in the various parishes in provinces, cities and municipalities throughout the country, which carry out all orders, instructions and/or directives/promulgated by the PPCRV's National and Local Elections where almost 500,000 PPCRV members and volunteers from 2,670 parishes, including 23 Partner-Christian and Secular Organizations/Associations (NGOs) deployed in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) participated in all watching and election-related activities.
3. In the past elections since the synchronized National and Local Elections held on May 11, 1992, and subsequent electoral exercise, as follows: Barangay elections of 1994, 1997 and 2002, the 1993 Special Elections for Governor of Bataan, the 1993 special elections for Congressman of the Second District of Rizal the 1995, 2001, 2004 and 2007 National and Local Elections, the 1996 and 2002 Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Election, the 1997 Recall Election in Kalookan City, the 1999 Regional Elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), the plebiscite on the creation of the City Mayor of Pasay City on April 15, 2000, Petitioner consistently applied for and was granted due accreditation citizen's arm.
4. Petitioner was likewise accredited as citizen's arm in connection with the General Registration and Continuing Registration, and other related activities under Republic Act No. 8189.
5. Petitioner's performance as an accredited citizen's arm is now a matter of public record, and it is upon this record that Petitioner seeks to be accredited as citizen's arm for purposes of the forthcoming Barangay Elections on October 29, 2007 to perform, among others, voter's education, voter's assistance and pollwatching functions, and such other related activities that the Honorable Commission may direct.
6. In connection with this instant petition for accreditation as citizen's arm, Petitioner's reiterates its previous commitments as follows:

6.1.	It is not supporting any candidate, political party, organization or coalition of political parties involved in the October 29, 2007 Barangay Elections;
6.2.	It shall remain strictly non-partisan and impartial during the entire electoral exercise;
6.3.	it is not supported by or under the influence of any foreign government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities, or of any foreign, whether natural or judicial;
6.4.	It does not seek to achieve its objectives, goals or programs through violence or other unlawful means, nor aim to propagate any ideology opposed to the principles of a republican and democratic government, and that it will undertake to police its ranks and prevent infiltration by persons or groups of persons who may, directly or indirectly, destroy its character of non-partisanship and impartiality."

On August 23, 2007, the Commission en banc issued an Order directing, PPCRV to cause the publication of its petition in a newspaper of general circulation. It was also notified of the hearing scheduled on August 20, 2007 at 10:00 A.M. at the Session Hall of the Commission, 8th Floor, Palacio del Gobernador, Intramuros, Manila.

During the hearing, Amb. Henrietta T. De Villa, Chairman of PPCRV, Mr. Clifford T. Sorita, Secretary General of PPCRV, and Atty. Howard M. Calleja, counsel for PPCRV, appeared. There was no oppositor. Counsel presented for markings the following exhibits:

PPCRV requested for permission to utilize its unused official I.D.'s intended for the May 14, 2007 National and Local Elections.

On August 30, 2007, the Commission en banc issued an Order admitting Exhibits "A" and "B" with its respective submarkings and considered the instant petition submitted for resolution.

We rule.

The petitioner's participation during the past electoral exercises and its commitment towards honest, clean, credible and peaceful elections are commendable. Considering that petitioner has proven that it has sufficiently complied with the stringent requirements for accreditation as prescribed under Rule 33 of the Comelec Rules of Procedure, this Commission hereby resolves to ACCREDIT the PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL FOR RESPONSIBLE VOTING (PPCRV) as citizen's arm of the Commission pursuant to Section 2(5) of Article IX (C) of the 1987 Constitution and Section 52 (k) of the Omnibus Election Code as amended and other election laws in connection with the barangay and sangguniang kabataan elections in October 29, 2007. The PPCRV must perform the following duties:

1. Conduct poll watching in various precincts, including assistance to voters;
2. Assist the Commission in voter's information and values education in every municipality, province and city including highly urbanized cities.

WHEREAS, premises considered, the instant petition for accreditation is hereby GRANTED, subject to the following conditions:

1. That is shall be subject to the direct and immediate control of the Commission and shall comply with all lawful orders of the Commission in the performance of its specific functions and activities as provided in Section 52 (k) of the Omnibus Election Code, and such other functions and activities which the Commission may assign to it;
2. That is shall be non-partisan and impartial during the election period;
3. That its shall not be under the influence whatsoever of any foreign government corporation, or entity and shall not solicit or receive, directly or indirectly, any contribution or aid of whatever form or nature from any government, corporation or entity, and that neither shall said organization nor any of its members seek to achieve its objectives or programs through violence, or aim to propagate any ideology opposed to the principles of a republican and democratic government;
4. That it shall undertake to police its ranks and prevent infiltration by persons or group of persons who may, directly or indirectly, destroy its character of impartiality;
5. That it shall submit to the Commission a list of its responsible officials and other officers constituting its board and there shall be no changes therein without the approval of the Commission;
6. That it shall make available to the Commission its personnel, facilities, equipment, papers and effects and coordinate its activity with other accredited citizen's arm of the Commission;
7. That it shall submit a weekly written report of its operations during the period of the October 29, 2007 elections;
8. That this accreditation shall be deemed automatically revoked in case it violates any of the conditions herein set forth.

Likewise, petitioner's request to utilize the unused PPCRV I.D.'s intended for the May 14, 2007 National and Local Elections is GRANTED, provided the I.D.'s are marked as valid for the October 29, 2007 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections duly signed by the authorized signatories of PPCRV.

The Executive Director of the Commission in coordination with the Clerk of the Commission shall implement this Resolution immediately upon its promulgation, furnishing copies thereof to all field officers nationwide including the candidates and the political parties or coalition of political parties.

The Education and Information Department shall cause the publication of this Resolution in two (2) daily newspapers of general circulation.

SO ORDERED.