Resolution No. 7447

WHEREAS, the Commission in Section 16 of Resolution No. 7218, promulgated on 06 July 2007, had provided for the deactivation of voters' registration records during the Election Registration Board (ERB) hearing for cause/s found in Sec. 27 of Republic Act No. 8189 (The Voter's Registration Act of 1996);

WHEREAS, the implementation of said provision will deprive the concerned voters the exercise of the right of suffrage, albeit for valid legal ground, considering that there will only be one ERB hearing scheduled on 29-31 July 2007 for purposes of the 29 October 2007 Synchronized Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections and thus, once deactivated in the said hearing concerned voters will no longer have the opportunity to apply for reactivation;

WHEREAS, the conduct of two regular elections in one election year is a peculiar circumstance for the year 2007 resulting in a very constricted election period for the barangay elections;

WHEREAS, the right of suffrage is a constitutionally guaranteed right;

WHEREAS, Sec. 29 of Republic Act No. 6646 as reiterated in Sec. 28 of Republic Act No. 8436 provides:

Sec 28. Designation of Other Dates for Certain Pre-election Acts. - If it shall no longer be reasonably possible to observe the periods and dates prescribed by law for certain pre-election acts, the Commission shall fix other periods and dates in order to ensure accomplishment of the activities so voters shall not be deprived of their suffrage.

WHEREAS, based on the foregoing circumstances and considerations, there is a compelling need to suspend the deactivation of registration records so that voters shall not be deprived of their right of suffrage;

NOW, THEREFORE, the Commission, by virtue of the powers vested in it by the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines; the Omnibus Election Code and other election laws, RESOLVED, as it hereby RESOLVES to suspend the deactivation of registration records of voters until the first ERB hearing that will be set by the Commission after the 29 October 2007 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections.

Let the Executive Director implement this resolution.

SO ORDERED.