Local absentee voting: Comelec extends deadline

CEBU, Philippines - The Commission on Elections has moved the deadline for applications for the local absentee voting from today, March 7, to March 31, or an extension of 24 days.

The poll body has also set April 15 as the last day to verify the eligibi-lity of the applicants.

In a Philippine STAR interview, Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista announced Friday that the Comelec En Banc moved the deadline to encourage and allow more qualified voters to avail of the absentee voting.

Cebu Election Officer Ferdinand Gujilde, however, said that as of yesterday, he was not yet updated on the development.  Lawyer Lionel Marco Castillano, Comelec-Cebu provincial supervisor who was temporarily reassigned to Negros Oriental, also said he still have to receive such instruction from their head office.

“No information yet if extended ba,” he told The FREEMAN yesterday.

As a protocol, though, Castillano said the Comelec national office would issue a memorandum once there are changes with the schedule related to elections.

The local absentee voting would be allowed for media personnel, government officials and employees, rendering poll services during the Election Day.

Those who can avail of the local absentee voting are government officials and employees; members of the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines; and media practitioners who are registered voters could not vote on elections day due to the performance of their functions.

The voting, however, will be limited to national positions and party-list representatives only, and those would not be able to vote on the May 9 local and national elections must apply for local absentee voting in the Comelec offices which has jurisdiction over where they intend to vote.

The date for the local absentee voting is from April 27 to 29 while

Republic Act 10380 (Act Providing for Local Absentee Voting for Media, Media Practitioners and Support Staff) grants the privilege to vote ahead of elections day. — (FREEMAN)