Comelec wants law to 'cleanse' voters list

CEBU, Philippines - The Commission on Elections is pushing for the House of Representatives to enact a law to cleanse the list of voters in the country through the Automated Fingerprints Identification System.

Cebu Provincial Supervisor Lionel Marco Castellano said only 50 percent of the registered voters have biometric identification.

The Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) is a biometric identification methodology that uses digital imaging technology to obtain, store, and analyze fingerprint data.

Castillano said not everyone can be compelled to have a biometric identification since it has no law to that effect.

“It is through this system that we can cleanse our voter’s lists,” Castellano said that Comelec will be busy preparing for the 2013 senatorial elections.

Comelec resolution number 8882 promulgated on May 7, 2010 has resolved to adopt policies and guidelines relative to AFIS in cleansing the lists of voters.

The resolution reads that the premise of credible elections is anchored on a clean voters’ list.

Based on its statutory mandate, Section 52 (i) of the Omnibus Election Code authorizes the Commission to prescribe the use or adoption of the latest technological and electronic devices, which in this case is the AFIS technology in pursuit of its equally important mandate to establish clean, complete, updated and permanent lists of voters pursuant to Republic Act. No. 8189.

Further, it is also settled that there is no denial of right of suffrage when original or subsequent registration record is declared null because one registration will remain valid and subsisting. This is in accordance with the universal principle of “one man, one vote”, the resolution reads. — THE FREEMAN