PNP to deploy personnel to assist in registration sites as voter sign-up deadline nears
MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police General Guillermo Eleazar ordered cops to ensure that health protocols are being observed in voter registration sites as the period of sign-ups for the 2022 elections enters its final week.
“Only one week is left and the voter’s registration for the 2022 elections will end so we are expecting flocking of our countrymen to registration sites to beat the deadline,” the PNP chief said in Filipino.
Eleazar said he directed chiefs of police and area commanders to expect more people heading to registration sites and deploy “enough number of personnel” in these areas to make sure orderly conduct of voter sign-ups amid the threat of Delta variant.
He also noted reports that registration sites have been crowded due to registrants that line up in the wee hours of the morning, resulting in hours of waiting.
Voter registration for the 2022 polls will end on September 30, although several groups and bills have also been filed to urge the Commission on Elections to extend the sign-up period.
The Comelec has also opened up registration sites in various malls.
Also on Friday, the House of Representatives Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms approved the bill seeking to extend voter registration period until October 31.
Comelec Commissioner Marlon Casquejo has previously said they are considering extending registration by one week, after the filing of Certificate of Candidacy which will be on October 1 to 8. — Kristine Joy Patag
Get the latest updates on the Philippines' preparation for the May 2022 national elections amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Main image by The STAR/Michael Varcas
Local executives are optimistic of peaceful elections on Monday in North Cotabato and Basilan provinces.
North Cotabato Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza says Saturday she is thankful to the Army’s 602nd Infantry Brigade of the 6th Infantry Division and units of the Eastern Mindanao Command in the province for supporting extensively the efforts of the Commission on Elections to ensure the safety of polling activities on Monday.
“We are also thankful to the Cotabato Provincial Police Office and the Police Regional Office-12 for their initiatives towards that goal. We are looking forward to a peaceful electoral exercise in our province on Monday,” Mendoza says. — The STAR/John Unson
Comelec names Director John Rex Laudiangco as the new spokesperson of the commission, replacing James Jimenez.
May 9, election day, has been declared a special non-working holiday.
In a proclamation released Thursday, President Rodrigo Duterte declared the holiday "to enable the people to properly exercise their right to vote, subject to the public health measures of the national government." — report from Alexis Romero
READ: Proclamation No. 1357 declaring May 9, election day, a special non-working holiday @PhilippineStar @Philstarnews pic.twitter.com/EvUUNb8Yuf
— Alexis B. Romero (@alexisbromero) May 5, 2022
The Bangsamoro police has mobilized 6,347 personnel to guard 1,195 polling sites in five provinces under its jurisdiction.
Brig. Gen. Arthur Cabalona, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, says Thursday the contingent includes 706 Reaction Standby Support Force and 405 Quick Reactionary Force personnel for deployment to Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur provinces.
Tension has markedly been high in some towns in both provinces owing to the deep-seated political animosity among local clans.
Besides Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao also covers the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi and the cities of Lamitan, Marawi and Cotabato. — John Unson
The Commission on Election starts the distribution and conduct of the testing and sealing of the vote counting machines (VCMs) six days prior to the election day in the remote and far flung villages in Zamboanga City.
The early distribution of the VCMs was made with the authority of the Comelec central office following the recommendation of the local poll body here, says District 2 officer Atty. Stephen Roy Cañete.
“We asked permission and we were given the authority by the Comelec central office to start the distribution of the VMCs early. In case there will be glitches we still have enough time to replace the defective VCM,” Cañete says. — The STAR/Roel Pareño
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