Presented by Comelec to visiting senior leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front attending the political party building training organized by the Institute for Autonomy & Governance and the Konrad Adnauer Stiftung. Manila | March 28, 2014

1. REGISTRATION AND
ACCREDITATION OF
POLITICAL PARTIES
Commission on Elections
Palacio del Gobernador
Intramuros, Manila
March 28, 2014

2. For a party to be entitled to registration, it
must show that it is an organized group,
joined in a corporate body, articulate, with
attributes of a social personality, and having
a constitution and by-laws, rules, platformor
program of government; it must have a
charter as to how the group will function, be
presidedoverandexpress its collectivewill.
Lagasca vs. De Vera, 79 Phil. 376 (1947)

3. Registration and Accreditation of Political Parties
A political party is an organized
group of persons pursuing the same
ideology, political ideas or platforms
of government and includes its
branches and divisions.
(Sec. 60, Omnibus Election Code)

4. 1987 Constitution
Section 2(5), Article IX-C of the
Constitution grants the Commission on
Elections the power to register political
parties.
Registration and Accreditation of Political Parties

5. 1987 Constitution
Article IX-C
Sec. 2. The Commission on Elections shall exercise the following
powers and functions:
(5) Register, after sufficient publication, political parties,
organizations, or coalitions which, in addition to other
requirements, must present their platform or program of
government; and accredit citizens’ arms of the Commission on Elections.
Religious denominations and sects shall not be registered. Those which seek to
achieve their goals through violence or unlawful means, or refuse to uphold and
adhere to this Constitution, or which are supported by any foreign government
shall likewise be refused registration. Registration and Accreditation of Political Parties

6. A political party shall first be duly registered with the
Commission in order to:
 acquire juridical personality
 qualify it for subsequent accreditation
(as the dominant majority party or dominant minority party or as a political
party entitled to receive copies of the Election Returns, Certificate of
Canvass, and or Statement of Votes, as the case may be)
 entitle it to the rights and privileges granted to
political parties
(Sec. 60, Omnibus Election Code)
Registration and Accreditation of Political Parties

7. Rights and Privileges Granted to a
Registered Political Party
 The right to be present and to counsel during the
consolidation and canvassing of the Election Returns
or Certificate of Canvass (Article I, Section 20, Comelec
Resolution No. 9648, February 22, 2013)
 It shall be entitled to one watcher in every
canvassing center(Article I, Section 21 Comelec Resolution
No. 9648, February 22, 2013)
 Only parties registered as national political parties may be
accredited as the dominant majority and the dominant
minority party
Registration and Accreditation of Political Parties

8. Rights and Privileges Granted to
a Registered Political Party
 The dominant majority party, dominant minority party, ten (10) accredited
major national parties and two local accredited major local parties may be
entitled to a copies of the Certificate of Canvass, Certificate of
Canvass and Proclamation and Statement of Votes, as the case
may be (Article 4, Section 209 Comelec Resolution No. 9648, February
22, 2013)
 A candidate and his political party are authorized to spend more per
voter than a candidate without a political party (LDP vs. Comelec, G. R.
No. 161265, February 24, 2004).
A candidate may spend Php3.00 per registered voter while the registered
political party he belongs to may spend Php5.00 per registered voter in the
constituencies where it has official candidates; a candidate without a political
party may spend Php5.00 for every registered voter. (Comelec Resolution
No. 9476, June 22, 2012) Registration and Accreditation of Political Parties

9.
 Sec. 1. Petition for registration
 Sec. 2. Contents of petition
 Sec. 3. Other requirements
 Sec. 4. Verification
 Sec. 5. Notice of hearing
 Sec. 6. Publication of petition and notice of hearing
 Sec. 7. Certificate of registration
 Sec. 8. Cancellation of registration
COMELEC Rules of Procedure
Part V Section 32
Registration and Accreditation of Political Parties
Registration of Political Parties

10. Section 1. Petition for
Registration
Any political party, organization or coalition of
political parties seeking registration pursuant to
Section 2 (5), Subdivision C of Article IX of the
Constitution shall file with the Office of the
Clerk of the Commission a petition duly
verified by its President and Secretary-General,
or any official duly authorized to do so under its
Constitution and By-laws
Registration and Accreditation of Political Parties

11. Section 1. Petition for
Registration
Period for filing of the Petition for Registration shall be
determined by the guidelines issued by the
Commission for the particular election
A filing fee of Ten Thousand Pesos (P 10,000.00),
and a legal research fee of One Hundred Pesos (P
100.00) shall be charged for each petition
The Petition shall be raffled to the two (2) Divisions of
the Commission
Registration and Accreditation of Political Parties

12.  Full name of the political party, organization or coalition of political parties
 The principal headquarters and post office address for election purposes,
including its branches and divisions, if any
 The date and place of its organization
 The date and manner of election or selection of its officers
 The names and addresses of its organizers and officers, Executive
Committee members, Directorate, or Party Convention delegates, if any
 The extent of its constituency
 Its program of government
Section 2. Contents of
Petition
Registration and Accreditation of Political Parties

13.  That it is not a religious sect or denomination
 That it shall not pursue its goals through violence or other unlawful
means
 That it shall uphold and adhere to the Constitution and shall obey all
laws and legal orders promulgated by duly constituted authorities
 That it is not supported by, nor does it accept financial contribution
from any foreign government or their agencies
 Other information that may be material and relevant to the petition
Section 2. Contents of
Petition
Registration and Accreditation of Political Parties

14.  Petitions that are insufficient in form may be
denied by the Commission
 Petitions lacking verification may be denied
by the Commission
Section 2. Contents of
Petition
Registration and Accreditation of Political Parties

15. The petitioner shall attach to the petition for
registration ten (10) copies of its:
 constitution and by-laws
 party platform
 organizational papers
 declarations of political creed or code of political ethics
other documents of similar or equivalent character.
Section 3. Other
Requirements
Registration and Accreditation of Political Parties

16. Registration and Accreditation of Political Parties
Notice of
Hearing
Publication of Petition and Notice of
Hearing
Certificate of
Registration
Petition for
Registration
Verificatio
n

17. Before taking action on the petition,
the Commission shall first
verify, through its field offices, the
status and capacity of the
petitioner and the veracity of the
allegations in the petition and its
enclosures.
(Section 4. Verification)
Registration and Accreditation of Political Parties

18. Section 4. Verification
The Clerk of the Commission shall be directed to
furnish the Regional Election Director (RED) concerned
with a copy of the petition and its enclosures
The division of the Commission to which the petition
was raffled shall issue an Order directing the concerned
RED to verify the existence of the petitioner in the
constituency for which it seeks registration and to submit
its findings and recommendations together with
supporting documents
Registration and Accreditation of Political Parties

19. Upon receipt of the reports from its
field offices, the Commission shall
immediately set the petition for
hearing and shall send notices to the
petitioner and other parties
concerned.
(Section 5. Notice of Hearing)
Registration and Accreditation of Political Parties

20. On the day following the receipt of
the notice of hearing, the petitioner
shall cause the publication of
the petition, together with the
notice of hearing, in three (3) daily
newspaper of general circulation,
notifying in writing the Commission of
such action.
(Section 6. Publication of Petition and Notice of Hearing)
Registration and Accreditation of Political Parties

21.  The petitioner shall be required to publish the
petition together with the notice of hearing once
 During the hearing of the petition, the petitioner
may be required to submit the affidavit of
publication of the petition as required in Section 6
 The President or the Secretary-General, as
representative of the petitioner party, may be
called to testify as to the veracity of the allegations
in the petition
Registration and Accreditation of Political Parties

22. A certificate of registration shall
be issued by the Commission upon
approval of the petition, which
shall be displayed in the main office
and in all chapters of the petitioner.
(Section 7. Certificate of Registration)
Registration and Accreditation of Political Parties

23. Upon verified complaint of any
interested party, or motu proprio by
the Commission, the registration of
any political party, coalition of political
parties or organization under the party-
list system may be cancelled after
due notice and hearing
(Section 8. Cancellation of Registration)
Registration and Accreditation of Political Parties

24. Grounds for Cancellation of
Registration
Acceptance by the political party, coalition of political
parties, or organizations or any of its candidates, of
financial contributions from foreign
governments and/or their agencies for activities
related to elections;
Violation of laws, rules or regulations relating
to elections, plebiscites, referenda, or
initiative;
Untruthful statements in its petition forRegistration and Accreditation of Political Parties

25. The said political party, coalition of political parties or organization
has become a religious sect or denomination, is pursuing its
goals thru violence or other unlawful means, is refusing to
adhere to or uphold the Constitution of the Philippines,
or is receiving support from any foreign government, and
Failure to comply with applicable laws, rules or
regulations of the Commission.
Failure to field official candidates in the last two proceeding elections
or failure of their candidates to obtain at least five (5) per centum of
the votes cast in the last two preceding elections.
Registration and Accreditation of Political Parties
Grounds for Cancellation of
Registration

26. Section 8. Cancellation of
Registration
 Period for filing of the Petition for Cancellation of
Registration shall be determined by the guidelines
issued by the Commission for the particular election
The verified complaint for cancellation shall be raffled
to the division
 The cancellation of the registration of the party may
be the subject of a motion for reconsideration
Registration and Accreditation of Political Parties