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THIRTEENTH CONGWSS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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troduced by Senator Miriam Defensbr Santiago 
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EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Omnibus Election Code, Article 19, Section 231, as amended by Republic Act No. 
7166, provides that thi Certificate of Canvass (CoC) is an important election results document 
which is used in the canvassing of votes for the highest elective positions in the land. It contains 
the summary of votes p'er province, city or municipality, for these candidates. 
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Unfortunately, since the CoC does not contain precinct-level results, it has been easy to 
manipulate or alter its 'contents. This has been one of the mechanisms for wholesale electoral 
hand or Operusyon Du dug Buwas. To minimize this type of fraudulent electoral practice, it is 
suggested that another klection document be used for the canvassing of votes for candidates in 
both national and local elections. 
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The bill proposes to use the Election Returns, instead of the Certificates of Canvass, in 
the canvassing of voteE! for: (a) the elective provincial, city or municipal officials: (b) members 
of the House of Representatives and the Senate; and (c) Vice-president and President of the 
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Republic of the Philippines. 
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This is the substitute form of a bill discussed in a series of public hearings conducted 
during the Tenth C o n g r h  
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Be it enacted by 
assembled: 
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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session i 
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SEVENTY-ONE HUNDRED SIXTY SIX 
the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
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troduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago’ 
be. 
(b) The ‘city of board of canvassers of cities comprising one or more 
SECTION 1. Section 28, 29 and 30 of Republic Act No. 7166, entitled “An Act 
Providing for Synchronized National and Local Elections and for Electoral Reforms, Authorizing 
Appropriations Therefor, and for Other Purposes, ” [is] ARE hereby amended to read as follows: 
“SEC. 28. Canvassing by Provincial, City, District and Municipal Boards 
o f  Canvassers FOR THE ELECTIVE PROVINCIAL, CITY OR MUNICIPAL 
OFFICIALS, 
!AND 
THE 
MEMBERS 
OF 
THE 
HOUSE 
OF 
REPRESENTA~ES, AND CANVASSING 6~ THE COMMISSION ON 
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ELECTIONS FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE SENATE. - (a) The city or 
municipal board of canvassers shall canvass the election returns for [President, 
Vice-president,  senators and Members o f  the House of Representatives and or 
elective provinc@] city or municipal officials. Upon completion of the canvass, it 
shall [prepare the certificate of canvass for President, Vice-president, Senators 
and Members of the House of Representatives and elective provincial officials 
and thereafter] proclaim the elective city or municipal officials, as the case may 
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legislative dist4cts shall canvass the election returns for [President, Vice- 
President, Senaiors,] Members of the House Representatives and elective city 
officials. Upon completion of the canvass, the Board shall [prepare the certificate 


(c) (1) 
elected municipal officials. 
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(3) The district board of canvassers of each legislative district comprising 
In the Metro Manila Area, each municipality, comprising a 
Senators and 
Representatives 
thereafter,] proclaim the elected Members of the House 
and municipal officials. 
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plebiscite results, if any plebiscite is conducted simultaneously with the same 


Representatives 
SENATORS. 
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and provincial officials as well as the plebiscite results, if any. 
Senators, Members 
officials shall 
of the House of Representatives and elective provincial 
be prepared in seven (7) copies by the city or municipal board of 
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(5) The 
comprising one or more legislative districts, by provincial boards of canvassers 
and by district boards of canvassers in the Metro Manila Area, and distributed as 
fifth, sixth and seventh copies of the certificate of canvass shall 
The parties 
(c) The certificates of canvass prepared by the city or municipal boards of 
canvassers shali each be supported by a statement of votes by precinct singed and 
thumbmarked by the chairman and members of the board, and the principal 
watchers if available. Thereafter, it shall be sealed and placed inside an envelope, 
which shall likewise be properly sealed. 
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In the Metro Manila Area, the certificates of canvass prepared by the 
district board  of canvassers of a legislative district comprising one (1) 
municipality shall be supported by a statement of votes by precinct. The 
certificate of cabvass prepared by a district board of canvassers of a legislative 
district comprising two (2) municipalities shall be supported by a statement of 
votes by municipality. 
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receiving the certificates shall have the obligation to fmish the other 


The cedificate of canvass prepared by the provincial board of canvassers 
shall be supporled by a statement of votes by municipality, and the original copy 
thereof for the Congress shall, in addition, be supported by the statement of votes 
by precinct as 'submitted to the provincial board of canvassers by the city or 
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BE COUNTED. 
municipal boards of canvassers. The same requirement shall apply in the case of 
the certificates b f canvass of a district board of canvassers of a legislative district 
comprising two (2) municipalities in the Metro Manila Area.] 
SEC. 2p. SIGNATURES AND THUMBMARKS OF ACCREDTED 
POLITICAL PARTY [OFFICIAL] WATCHERS. - [OFFICIAL] ACCREDITED 
POLL WATCHERS 0 F E VERY REGISTERED P OLITICAL PARTY S HALL 
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SIGN AND THUMBMARK EACH COPY OF THE ELECTION RETURN. 
IN CASE THERE ARE NO ACCREDITED POLITICAL PARTY 
WATCHERS IN THE POLLING PLACE, THE SIGNATURES AND 
THUMBMARKS OF THE CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD 
OF ELECTION INSPECTORS SHALL SUFFICE PROVIDED, THAT THE 
CHAIRMAN PLACES THE CORRESPONDING REMARKS ON THE 
ELECTION RETURN AS ALSO REFLECTED IN THE MINUTES OF 
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CANVASSING, 
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SEC. 3 . Congress as the National Board of Canvassers of the Election of 
President and ice-President: Determination of Authenticity and Due Execution 
of [Certificates of Canvass] ELECTION RETURNS. - Congress shall determine 
the authenticity and due execution of the [certificates of canvass for President and 
Vice-President]; ELECTION RETURNS as accomplished and transmitted to it by 
the 1 oca1 b oardg o f [ canvassers] ELECTION INSPECTORS on a showing that: 
(1) each [certificate of canvass] ELECTION RETURN was DULY executed, 
signed and thumbmarked by the chairman and members of the board [canvassers] 
OF 
ELECTIPN 
INSPECTORS, 
ALSO 
DULY 
SIGNED 
AND 
THUMBMARKED BY THE ACCREDITED PARTY WATCHERS, and 
transmitted or &sed to be transmitted to Congress by [them] THE FORMER (2) 
each [certificatel of canvass] ELECTION RETURN SHALL contain the TYPE OF 
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ELECTION, THE D ATE o F THE ELECTION, THE P ROVINCE, THE CITY 
CIPALITY, THE BARANGAY, THE PRECINCT NUMBER, 
THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS, THE NUMBER OF VOTERS 
OR THE ,,r, 
wHo A C T d p Y  VOTED, THE NUMBER OF VALID BALLOTS, THE 
NUMBER OF  SPOILED BALLOTS, THE names of all, the candidates [for 
AND OTHER 
CONGRESS OR 
other authentic 
discrepancy in 
COPIES OF [in] 
SUCH DATA DEEMED NECESSARY FOR INCLUSION BY 
THE COMMISSION, and (3) there exists no discrepancy in 
copies of the [certificate of canvass] ELECTION RETURN or 
the votes of any candidates in words and figures AMONG 
the same [certificate] ELECTION RETURN. 


[transmit by pdrsonal delivery] DELIVER PERSONALLY, the [election returns] 
ELECTION RkTURN WAS BASED [from the polling places that were not 
included in th certificate of canvass and supporting statements]. Said [election 
returns] BAL OT BOXES shall be [transmitted by personal delivery] 
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BALLOT BOXES FROM THE PRECINCT WHERE THE QUESTIONABLE 
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DELIVERED 1 
ithin two (2) days from receipt of notice. 
When i appears that any [certificate of canvass or supporting statement of 
votes] ELECTION RETURN by precinct bears erasures or alterations, which cast 
doubt as to thd varacity of the number of votes stated therein and may affect the 
result of the election, upon request of the Presidential of Vice-presidential 
candidate concerned or his party, Congress shall, for the sole purpose of verifjmg 
the actual number of votes cast for President and Vice-president, count the votes 
[as they appead in the copies of the election returns] IN THE BALLOT BOXES 
submitted to it. 
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SECTION 2. Repealing Clause. - Republic Act No. 7166 and all other laws, orders, 
decrees, rules and regulations or other issuances, or any part thereof, inconsistent with the 
provisions of this Act ' e hereby amended or repealed accordingly. 
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SECTION 3. Ebeectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from the 
date of its publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved.