MANILA, Oct. 16, 2012—The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Prison Ministry office welcomed the promulgation of guidelines by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to aid detainees in voting for the upcoming 2013 elections.
Comelec’s Resolution No. 9371 provides that a detainee voter of legal age and have stayed inside detention centers for at least six months prior to May 2013 election can file their voter applications via satellite registration.
In a press forum today, CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care executive secretary Mr. Rodolfo Diamante said that their advocacy on detention prisoners voting has been granted.
“The resolution provides for candidates to campaign inside detention facilities and as of yesterday, there are about 24,706 prisoners who are registered to vote on the 2013 election,” Diamante said.
Registration centers will be put up inside detention centers and jails managed by respective election officers in the city or town where the jail is located.
Registered voters in the 2010 national polls can update their information in case of transfer of jail facility.
Special polling places will be established in detention centers or jails with at least 50 registered detainee voters and will be manned by the Special Board of Election Inspectors (SBEI). (Jandel Posion)
