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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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'0 AUG 29 P 5 :09 
SENATE 
S. No. 
1440 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, under Article 5, Section 1, provides that suffrage may be 
exercised by all citizens of the Philippines not otherwise disqualified by law. This 
right to suffrage is the essence of our democracy. As a means to increase 
participation by citizens who are otherwise prevented to vote, we have enacted 
absentee voting laws. Presently, we have laws that allow absentee voting for 
Filipinos overseas, media practitioners, armed forces and police force. However, 
these still leave another group disenfranchised due to the performance of their 
function during elections. 
Lawyers are officers of the court and it is their duty to see justice done and 
the law observed. As such, lawyers are called out during the elections to monitor 
the conduct of election and most are stationed away from their residences in doing 
so. 
This bill provides for means for lawyers stationed away from their 
residences on election days to vote on national elections in the precincts nearest to 
them subject to reasonable regulations by the Commission on Election . 
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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF TI-IE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S. No. 
1440 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
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AUG 29 P 5 :09 
PROVIDING FOR ABSENTEE VOTING FOR LA WYERS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. - Elections shall be free and equal. The 
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State shall always ensure the free exercise of the right of suffrage by all citizens of 
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the Philippines not otherwise disqualified by law. 
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SECTION 2 .. Local Absentee Voting for Lawyers. - The Commission on 
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Elections shall extend the right to vote under the local absentee voting system 
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provided under existing laws and executive orders to members of the Integrated 
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Bar of the Philippines, who are duly registered voters and who, on election day, 
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may not be able to vote due to the performance of their functions in monitoring the 
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observance of laws during the elections: Provided, That they shall be allowed to 
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vote only for the positions of President, Vice President, Senators and Party-List 
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Representative. 
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SECTION 3. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Commission on 
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Elections shall, within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of this Act, promulgate 
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the implementing rules and regulations which shall include a system of 
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accreditation and verification of the members of Integrated Bar of the Philippines, 
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who are qualified to avail of local absentee voting. 
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SECTION 4. Appropriations. - The initial funding of this Act shall be 
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charged against the current year's appropriations or from any available savings of 
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the Commission on Elections. Thereafter, such amount as may be necessary for the 
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continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General 
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Appropriations Act. 
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SECTION 5. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
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executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation 
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contrary to or is inconsistent with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, 
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modified, or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 6. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) 
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days after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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