Lawyers, elderly back voting in malls

MANILA, Philippines – The plan to allow voting in shopping malls next year has the support of election lawyers, senior citizens and   people with disability.

However, they have raised some concerns. 

Allowing voting in malls will benefit some two million voters who are mostly senior citizens and people with disability, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Andres Bautista said in a public forum.

Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal said voting in malls is in accordance with the Constitution.

“There wouldn’t be any gross violation of the Constitution or any gross abuse of discretion... Comelec has been tasked by the Constitution to make rules and regulations that will ensure clean and honest political exercise,” he said.

However, the Comelec must make sure that a candidate or supporter of a candidate does not own the shopping mall  that will host an election, Macalintal said.

On the other hand, election lawyer George Garcia urged the poll body to make sure that voting in malls would not violate the right to equal protection of the law.

He cautioned the Comelec against re-clustering polling places in mall voting because it is a “highly politicized activity.”

“In Regions 11 (Davao), 12 (SOCCSKSARGEN) and ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao)... there are many requests to transfer polling places and the reason is because some politicians want to deprive certain number of voters from voting,” he said.

A certain family could not visit a certain area due to rido or clan war, he added.

Through a sign language interpreter, Caroline Bacani has asked the Comelec to consider having interpreters in polling precincts to allow those with hearing impairment to vote.

Other issues raised include concerns over the presence of armed security guards in shopping malls, the possibility of voters being barred from entering malls due to their appearance or clothes and fears that the Comelec might not be able to take control of the polling area from mall owners.    

Comelec Commissioner Christian Robert Lim said they will take into consideration all the issues raised.

“We feel that we can address their concerns,” he said.

“We will still observe the laws, that no firearms shall be allowed within 50 meters of polling precincts. We will come up with guidelines on this.”