Over 31,000 PDLs set to vote in barangay elections
MANILA, Philippines — More than 31,000 persons deprived of liberty are set to cast their votes in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections on Monday, according to the Department of the Interior and Local Government.
Out of the 31,125 PDL voters, 29,133 will cast their ballots inside special polling precincts within Bureau of Jail Management and Penology jails. Meanwhile, 1,992 voters will be escorted by jail officers to their respective registered precincts.
“The right to vote is everyone’s inherent right under the Constitution,” DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos said Sunday.
According to the rules of the Commission on Elections, inmates who are formally charged and awaiting trial, as well as those serving sentences of less than a year, are eligible to vote in local elections.
The DILG chief also directed BJMP Director Ruel Rivera to ensure an orderly and peaceful voting process for PDLs.
In 2022, the Supreme Court allowed the COMELEC to proceed with the registration of PDLs as voters due to a petitioner’s failure to present an actual case that would warrant a judicial review.
Filipinos will head to polling centers on Monday to select barangay and youth leaders, marking the first local polls in five years. — Gaea Katreena Cabico
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