Comelec eyes penalties vs. fake voters in ARMM

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - The Commission on Election (Comelec) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is considering possible penalties against double registrants discovered in the region, an official said.

ARMM Comelec purged close to 300,000 double or multiple registrants and minors who filed during the general registration of new voters list last July. 

Vidzfar Julie, Comelec officer for ARMM’s Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi areas, said there is no specific sanction yet against the multiple registrants but the poll body is carefully studying the possible penalties.

Julie said the election registration board discovered more fake voters in the Maguindanao and Lanao del Norte areas than in Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi areas.

The Comelec officials cited the location as reason why there were bigger numbers of “flying” registrants since they could easily access to the area compared to those in the island provinces.

The purge of voters has left some 1.2 million valid voters compared to the past election with 1.7 million voters in the ARMM.

The general registration in ARMM was conducted after the Congress passed on May a law that revoked the old book of voters in ARMM to ensure a clean election when it will be synchronized with the national and local midterm 2013 election.