Comelec-7: More than 7,000 inmates in Central Visayas to vote, but only for nat’l bets

“No valid classification” 

CEBU, Philippines - More than 7,000 inmates in Central Visayas will be casting their votes come May 9 elections although only for the national candidates, a matter quite confusing for the Commission on Elections-7 director.

“I do not see any reason why we allow them to vote for national candidates and we disallow them to vote for local candidates,” said Comelec-7 director lawyer Nick Mendros.

Mendros further expressed his sentiment on the rationale behind classifying detainee voters from other registered voters.

“I mean there is no valid classification. They are not allowed to vote for local candidates when they are allowed to vote for the national candidates (and considering that) they are not absentee voters,” he added.

The regional office recently received Resolution 10112 from the Comelec en banc further amending Resolution 10057 that provides the general instructions to Board of Election Inspectors on the testing and sealing of vote counting machines (VCM), and voting, counting, and transmission of election results.

The resolution stated that on March 6, 2012, Comelec promulgated Resolution 9371 to serve as the Rules and Regulations on detainee registration and voting for the May 13, 2013 national and local elections and subsequent elections thereafter.

Pursuant to the prevailing rules, the automated election system is configured in such a way that the votes of detainee voters for national and local positions are counted by the same VCM used to count the votes of regular voters from the clustered precincts where the detainee voters are registered.

But the Supreme Court on April 19, 2016, in a certain case, issued a temporary restraining order enjoining Comelec from applying some provisions of Comelec Resolution 9371 on the local level. The TRO effectively declared that for the May 9 polls, detainee voters can only vote for candidates for the national positions.

“…the Commission on Elections, to comply with the aforesaid order, has to adopt the most practical, and least disruptive adjustment procedure on detainee voting, given the very limited time to adjust, to ensure that the detainees’ right to vote is maintained and respected in the coming elections,” the resolution read.

Mendros said at least 62 teams of Special Board of Election Inspectors in Central Visayas were formed to facilitate the electoral procedures on May 9 either in detention cells or in the polling precincts at the barangays.

Detainee voters will cast their votes at the jail facility where they belong if their collective number exceeds 300. On the other hand, if their number is below the limit, they will be escorted to their assigned polling precincts at the barangays.

Central Visayas has a total of 7,171 detainee voters - 5,619 from Cebu province, 438 from Bohol, and 1,114 from Negros Oriental.

“Ang hindi ko lang alam, ang hinihintay ko ngayon, if nasa presinto ba sila, ipapasok ba sa vote counting machine o hindi, or i-seal sa isang envelope… kasi definitely, they will be using the same ballot as ours,” said Mendros, adding that these ballots will have to be submitted to the head office in Manila.

The official counting of the ballots of detainee voters is set on May 11, said Mendros. — (FREEMAN)