Voter registration set July 4 to 23

MANILA, Philippines — Voter registration will resume from July 4 to 23 as part of preparations for the holding of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections in December, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said yesterday.

In a Viber message, Comelec acting spokesman Rex Laudiangco told journalists that the poll body approved a resolution setting the schedule for the resumption of voter registration.

Laudiangco said the registration is for both the regular and SK poll voters.

He said the period set for voter registration is in compliance with Republic Act 8189 or the Voter’s Registration Act of 1996, which prohibits the conduct of the registration within 120 days before election day.

The barangay and SK elections will be conducted on Dec. 5, which means scheduling the registration on Aug. 7 is not allowed, Laudiangco said.

“We have only from July 24 to Aug. 6 to post or publish the names of voter registration applicants, set election registration board hearings, subject registrants to database verification, conduct ERB hearings, draft and approve precincts, and cluster established precincts when necessary,” Laudiangco said.

“There are post-registration activities and requirements that need to be accomplished on time aside from the inclusion or exclusion petitions, which will be filed, heard and decided,” he added.

Aside from the resumption of the registration, Laudiangco said the Comelec en banc approved a plebiscite for the ratification of the division of Maguindanao into two provinces – Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur – on Sept. 17.

Vote buying

Meanwhile, a vote buying complaint against a representative, mayor and vice mayor of Biñan, Laguna as well as 80 others was filed yesterday before the Comelec.

Rep. Marlyn Alonte-Naguiat, Mayor Walfredo Dimaguila Jr. and Vice Mayor Angelo Alonte were among the respondents in a complaint filed by Michael Gerard Thomas Yatco, Audrey Amoroso and Christopher Santos.

The complainants said they have at least 33 witnesses, video footage and photos to support their claims.

They said several residents informed Yatco about their experiences on vote buying and other election-related offenses allegedly committed by the respondents.

Yatco ran but lost in the congressional race.

The complainants said some of their witnesses received money in separate activities led by barangay leaders on May 6, 7 and 8.