Resolution No. 9722

WHEREAS, Resolution No. 9648 dated February 22, 2013 (General Instructions for the Board of Canvassers on the Consolidation/Canvass and Transmission of Votes in Connection with the May 13, 2013 National and Local Elections) provides under Section 28 (m) thereof, that immediately after printing copies of the Certificate of Canvass (COC) and Statement of Votes (SOV), the board of canvassers (BOC) shall, among other requirements, place all reports generated by the canvassing and consolidation system (CCS) in their corresponding envelopes with paper seals;

WHEREAS, Section 29 of said Resolution No. 9648 provides that the BOC shall retain copies of the COC and SOV generated by its CCS; while Section 30 thereof prescribes that the BOC shall print sufficient copies of Certificates of Canvass and Proclamation (COCP), and retain one copy thereof;

WHEREAS, there are requests for certified true copies of the COC, SOV and COCP filed with the chairmen of the boards of canvassers, who in turn seek from the Commission En Banc authority to open the sealed envelopes of the documents that are in their custody;

WHEREAS, since the COC, SOV and COCP are public documents that can be obtained by the requesting public, the chairmen of the boards of canvassers may, on their own, and in their capacity as official custodians of the COC, SOV and COCP generated by their respective CCS, issue certified true copies thereof without the need to secure further authority from the Commission En Banc to open the sealed envelopes containing said documents;

WHEREAS, Resolution No. 9655 dated March 11, 2013, prescribes the payment of a certification fee in the amount of Php75.00 for every request for the issuance of official documents;

NOW THEREFORE, pursuant to the powers vested in it by the Constitution, the Omnibus Election Code, Republic Act No. 9369, and other election laws, the Commission RESOLVED, as it hereby RESOLVES to direct the chairmen of the boards of canvassers for the May 13, 2013 national and local elections, who will issue certified true copies of the certificate of canvass, statement of votes and certificate of canvass and proclamation that are in their custody:

1. To require the requesting party to pay under proper receipt the amount of Php75.00 as certification fee for every document requested; and
2. To submit a report of all certified true copies of the certificate of canvass, statement of votes and certificate of canvass and proclamation issued, indicating therein the document requested, the name of the requesting party, the position involved, and the amount of the fees remitted. Said report shall be submitted to the Office of the Executive Director, which shall in turn submit a consolidated monthly report thereon to the Commission En Banc.

SO ORDERED.