Comelec ‘suppression of ‘embo’ voters hit

MANILA, Philippines — The decision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) barring residents of 10 enlisted men’s barrio or “embo” barangays from voting for their congressional representative in the 2025 midterm elections is a “denial of democracy,” Makati Mayor Abby Binay said yesterday. Comelec Chairman George Garcia earlier explained that these barangays, whose jurisdiction has been transferred from Makati to Taguig following a Supreme Court ruling, do not belong to either of the congressional districts of the two cities.

Garcia said the poll body issued the ruling so that the governments of Makati and Taguig can question its legality and settle the matter before the 2025 elections.

Binay questioned this reasoning, saying city councilors and members of Congress are elected by legislative districts.

“If the ‘embo’ residents can vote for city councilors, this means they are part of a legislative district. Why can’t they vote for their congressional representative?” she asked.

Binay emphasized that “the right to be represented in Congress is a basic principle in a democracy.”

“The Comelec decision denies the ‘embo’ residents of this right,” she said. “If the Taguig leadership will not do it, they would be complicit in the suppression of the rights of residents.”

The affected barangays are Pembo, Comembo, Cembo, South Cembo, West Rembo, East Rembo, Pitogo, Rizal, Northside and Southside.

The local government of Taguig has yet to issue a statement on the issue.

‘Comelec, Miru deal to cause chaos’

Meanwhile, former Caloocan congressman Edgar Erice said yesterday that the P17.9-billion automated election system contract between the Comelec  and South Korean firm Miru System would cause chaos in the 2025 midterm elections.

Erice said allowing voters to withdraw their ballots from the voting machine to add more names would delay the process and promote vote buying.

“According to George Garcia, the voter can remove the ballot even if it is already placed inside the machine to add a candidate. A 30-second delay would affect 1,000 voters. The voting time is only from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. You will increase the procedure by eight hours. That would mean it is already dawn, (but) the election is not yet over,” he said at a press conference.

Erice has filed a petition before the high court seeking to nullify Comelec’s contract with Miru for allegedly violating the law on automated elections. – Bella Cariaso