ELECTIONS chairman George Garcia yesterday said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will push through with the internet voting for overseas Filipinos in the 2025 midterm polls.
The Comelec en banc approved internet voting for overseas voters in May 2023 to encourage more Filipinos abroad to participate in the country’s electoral activities.
Garcia insisted that voting online is not prohibited under existing election laws.
The Overseas Voting Act, or RA 9189, only sets two modes of voting — in person by going to the Philippine embassy or consulate, and through mail where the embassy or consultae sends the official ballot to the voter who then mails it back to the diplomatic post.
But Garcia said there is a provision in the law that allows the poll body to use and explore internet-based technologies for overseas voting.
“Ang sinabi ng batas ito yung dalawang modes muna ngayon– in person at tsaka by mail– pero ang nakalagay sa provision… ang Comelec ay pupwedeng mag-venture sa ibang modes of voting basta magre-report ka lang sa Kongreso (The law sets the current modes as in-person voting and by mail. But there is a provision that states that Comelec is allowed to venture into other modes of voting as long as this is reported to Congress,” Garcia said.
“So, whatever the Comelec will be doing, we will be reporting to Congress on the update on the process nitong pangatlong mode ng voting (on this third mode of voting),” he added during a press conference after launching an information drive for overseas registration.
The Comelec chief yesterday likewise signed a memorandum of agreement with the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, Rotary International District 3810, and the Associated Marine Officers and Seamen’s Union of the Philippines.
Senate minority leader Aquilino Pimentel III in a Senate hearing last week reminded the poll body that a law should first be passed before the online voting for Filipinos abroad can push through.
Garcia expressed hope said that the overseas internet voting will not be challenged before the Supreme Court since around 300,000 Filipino seafarers might be deprived of their right to vote if the internet voting will not push through.
“Are we going to deprive them simply because ‘yung dalawang modes na meron tayo ay hindi papayagan yung kanilang pagboto dahil sila ay naglalayag? Sa ating palagay, that is not justifiable reason. Sa ating palagay, nasa Comelec ang kakayahan at the same time, ang kapangyarihan sa ating Saligang Batas na maghanap ng pamamaraan just to ensure that nobody is disenfranchised (Are we going to deprive them simply because the two modes that we have do not allow them to vote just because they are abroad? To me, that is not a justifiable reason. It is within the Comelec’s power, and it is also enshrined in the Constitution to find ways to ensure that nobody is disenfranchised),” Garcia said.
Garcia has earlier said that online voting would be implemented in 75 countries for next year’s midterm elections, but voters who want to avail of this should re-register, which they can do by going to Philippine embassies and consulates in their areas.
He said 17 countries did not allow internet voting, including Russia, China, and Israel.
