Republic of the Philippines COMMISSION ON ELECTIONS Manila RULES ON THE CONSTITUTION, COMPOSITION, APPOINTMENTS OF SPECIAL BOARD OF ELECTION INSPECTORS, SPECIAL BALLOT RECEPTION AND CUSTODY GROUP, SPECIAL BOARD OF CANVASSERS, AND BAUTISTA, J. Andres D., LIM, Christian Robert S., PARRENO, Al A,, GUIA, Luie Tito F., LIM, Arthur D,, GUANZON, Ma.Rowena Amelia V., ABAS, Sheriff M. Chairman Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner Commissioner OTHER MATTERS RELATED THERETO IN THE CONDUCT OF VOTING, COUNTING AND CANVASSING OF VOTES UNDER REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9189, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “THE OVERSEAS ABSENTEE VOTING ACT OF 2003” AS AMENDED BY REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10590 FOR PURPOSES OF THE MAY 9, 2016 NATIONAL AND LOCAL ELECTIONS, Promtlgation: 78*ry 27, 2016 . omtlgation: Sib RESOLUTION NO. A Pursuant to the authority vested in it by the Constitution, Batas Pambansa Blg. 881 (Omnibus Election Code), Republic Act No. 9189 (The Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003) as amended by Republic Act No. 10590, Republic Act No. 9369 and other election laws, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) hereby promulgates, the following rules on the constitution, composition, appointment of Special Board of Election Inspectors (SBEI), Special Ballot Reception and Custody Group (SBRCG), Special Board of Canvassers (SBOC) and other matters related thereto in the conduct of voting counting and canvassing of votes under Republic Act No. 9189, otherwise known as “the Overseas Absentee Voting Act of 2003” as amended by Republic Act No. 110590 for purposes of the May 9, 2016 National and Local Elections. ARTICLE DEFINITION OF TERMS Section 1. Definition of terms. - As used in this General Instructions, the following terms shalll refer to: a. Commission ~ the Commission on Elections;Department of Foreign Affairs-Overseas Voting Secretariat (DEA-OVS) ~ Secretariat based at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) home office tasked to assist the Office for Overseas Voting (OFOV) under the Commission, and to direct, coordinate and oversee the Participation of the DFA in the implementation of the Overseas Voting Act of 2003, as amended, National Registry of Overseas Voters (NROV) - the consolidated list prepared, approved and maintained by the Commission. This list contains the raves of have ais Voters, including those registered under Republic Act No. 8189 wiv have applied to be certified as overseas voters, have been approved by the Resident Election Registration Board, indicating the Post where the overseas voter is registered; Office for Overseas Voting (OFOV) ~ office of the Commission tasked to oversee and supervise the effective implementation of the Overseas Voting Act of 2003 as amended; Overseas Voter ~ a citizen of the Philippines who is qualified to register and vote under the Overseas Voting Act of 2003, as amended, not otherwice disqualified by law, who is abroad on the day of the elections; Overseas Voting abroad exercise thei the process by which qualified citizens of the Philippines r right to vote; Overseas Voting Election Returns - a document showing the date of elections, the country in which it is held, the number of overseas voters qualified to vote, the number of overseas voters who actually voted, and the votes oblaivet by each candidate in an overseas voting precinct; Overseas Voting Precinct ~ groupings of overseas voters in a given country or Post designated for purposes of voting and counting; Personal Voting ~ a mode of voting where the voters personally appear to cast their votes at the Posts or such other voting areas designated by the Commission; Postal Voting ~ a mode of voting where mailing packets, containing the official ballots and other election paraphernalia, are sent to the voters through the mail or are personally delivered to or picked-up by the voters at the Post or such other voting areas designated by the Commission; whereupon the voters either mail oc Personally deliver their accomplished ballots to the Post; Posts - Philippine embassies, consulates, foreign service establishments and ther Philippine government agencies maintaining offices abroad, eg, the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices (POLO), having jurisdiction over the places where the overseas voters reside, For purposes of overseas voting, Posts shall also mean to include the Manila Economic & Cultural Offices (MECOs) in Taiwan; Representative of the Commission ~ officials and employees of the foreign Service comps, including Filipino contractual or project term personnel that the embassies, consulates and other foreign service establishments have hired locally b-at the host country and deputized by the Commission pursuant to the Overseas Voting Act of 2003 as amended; m. Special Ballot Reception and Custody Group (SBRCG) - group deputized by the Commission to receive and take custody of all accountable and non-accountable election forms, supplies and paraphernalia sent by the OFOV for transmittal to the voters, SBEIs and Special Boards of Canvassers (SBOC); n. Special Board of Canvassers (SBOC) ~ body deputized by the Commission to conduct the consolidation and canvassing of votes; © Special Board of Election Inspectors (SBEI) - body deputized by the Commission to conduct the voting and/or counting of votes, ARTICLE II SPECIAL BALLOT RECEPTION AND CUSTODY GROUP Sec. 2. Special Ballot Reception and Custody Group (SBRCG); constitution, The Commission, through the Commissioner-in-charge of OFOV, shall, upon Tecommendation of the DFA-OVS, constitute in every Post, starting February 1, 2016 up to February 14, 2016, an SBRCG, which shall be composed of three (3) members. Additional SBRCG may be constituted where the number of registered overseas voters is more than forty thousand (40,000). Sec. 3. Qualifications of members/substitutes of the SBRCG. ~ No person shall be appointed as chairperson or member of the SBRCG, unless such person: a) Is of good moral character and irreproachable reputation; b) Isa citizen of the Philippines residing abroad; ©) Is from among the staff of the Posts; d) Has never been convicted of any election offense or of any other crime Punishable by more than six (6) months of imprisonment, or has no pending case filed against him for any election offense; and ©) Isable to speak and write English or Filipino In case of shortage of qualified staff from the Post, citizens of the Philippines who are qualified to register or vote under the Overseas Voting Act of 2003, as amended, and of known probity and competence, may be appointed as members of the SBRCG, provided that the chairperson shall be a staff of the Post. The Head of Post shall issue the Appointment of the Chairperson/Poll Clerk/Members/Substitutes of the SBRCG.