The employees, belonging to the Confederation for Unity, Reform and Advancement of Government Employees (COURAGE), asked the Comelec to stop the verification of signatures of those who support Charter change because the process is basically illegal.

COURAGE members cited the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Santiago vs Comelec, G.R. No. 127325, 19 March 1997, declaring that Republic Act No. 6735 is deficient and inadequate in itself to be called the enabling law that implements the people’s initiative on amendments to the Constitution.

They noted that no less than Commissioner Rene V. Sarmiento, along with lawyer Rene V. Saguisag, asked the Supreme Court in 1997 to shoot down the people’s initiative being pushed by the supporters of then President Fidel V. Ramos on the ground that the deficiency of RA 6735 cannot be rectified or remedied by Comelec Resolution No. 2300 since the Comelec is without authority to legislate the procedure for people’s initiative.

The rallyists peacefully dispersed after holding an impromptu program in front of the Comelec building.

Comelec officials said they cannot stop the verfication of signatures of Charter change proponents as demanded by COURAGE members, pointing out that it is authorized to do this under the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Santiago vs Comelec.

They said that as stated in the High Court’s decision in Santiago vs Comelec, "the only participation of the Comelec or its personnel before the filing of such petition are: (1) to prescribe the form of the petition; (2) to issue through its Election Records and Statistics Office a certificate on the total number of registered voters in each legislative district; (3) to assist through its election registrars, in the establishment of signature stations; and (4) to verify, through its election registrars, the signatures on the basis of the registry of voters, voters’ affidavits, and voters’ identification cards used in the immediately preceding election.