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MANILA — The Commission on Election on Monday said its en banc suspended all proceedings related to the people's initiative that seeks to revise the 1987 Constitution.

The Comelec has received signature forms from hundreds of towns and cities for the people's initiative. But the campaign has faced allegations of signature-buying and questions on legality.

• 900 cities, towns submit signatures for people's initiative

The poll body said it suspended the proceedings as it needed to revisit the resolution governing a people’s initiative.

"A lot of questions are questions of first instance… We are realizing mukhang maraming tanong kaya siguro kailangan ma-revisit muna," Comelec Commissioner Ernesto Maceda Jr. said.

• People's Initiative is 'unconstitutional,' says ex-SC justice Carpio

Under the initiative, senators and congressmen will vote jointly on charter change proposals, instead of separately as two houses of Congress.

Joint voting would mean the Senate's 24 members will be outnumbered by the House of Representatives' more than 300 lawmakers.

• Senate on 'people's initiative': 'A brazen attempt to violate the Constitution'

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Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said the suspension of people's initiative proceedings was a "triumph" for the country.

"Tumugon ang pamahalaan sa totoong damdamin ng taumbayan. Hindi pa po tapos ang laban, patuloy po tayong manalangin at magbantay para siguruhing maprotektahan ang Konstitusyon na siyang kaluluwa ng ating bayan," he said in a statement.

Sen. JV Ejercito said he was "glad to know that there are still many government officials who are sensible, who respect our Constitution and who will defend our democracy in the face of sinister attempts to subvert it."

"This move is Comelec's acknowledgement of limitations of its authority. I repeat, the Comelec has no authority under the law to formulate guidelines on people's initiative, even to accept signatures," added Senate Minority Leader Koko Pimentel.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros added they would "continue to be vigilant."

— With a report from Victoria Tulad, ABS-CBN News