THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday said it is targeting a high voter turnout in the three-day Local Absentee Voting (LAV) that would be at least equal to the 2022 polls.
In an interview, Comelec chairman George Garcia said they are hoping to match the 88 percent voter turnout of the LAV during the last national and local elections.
“Hopefully, with the 57,000 LAV voters, we can reach or match the same percentage or numbers,” Garcia said, noting that this is the first time that the Comelec will use the automated election system (AES).
“For the first time for the LAV, we will be using the automated system. Therefore, it will be easier for them to vote since they will just shade the ballots and no longer write the names of their candidates,” he said.
He, however, admitted that there is a possibility that the numbers may be lower since the 2022 elections involved presidential and vice presidential candidates.
The poll body yesterday opened the LAV for 57,689 voters who will vote for 12 senators and one party-list organization using the automated counting machines (ACMs).
The local absentee voters include 29,030 AFP personnel; 23,448 PNP personnel; 4,206 government employees; and 1,005 members of the media.
From the Comelec alone, 922 personnel applied for the LAV.
According to Garcia, the LAV votes will be crucial in the election of senators as well as party-list representatives “as they can deliver the votes for somebody such as the 12th slot (for senator).”
“For party-list groups, every vote counts as they will need them to attain the two percent threshold,” he added.
PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil yesterday morning kicked off the LAV for police personnel as he cast his vote at the PNP national headquarters at Camp Crame.
After exercising his right to suffrage, Marbil urged the policemen who availed of the LAV to also cast their votes.
Of the police officers who applied for LAV, 1,471, including Marbil, are based at Camp Crame.
Marbil underscored the importance of exercising the right to suffrage even among law enforcers.
“We are not just enforcers of democracy — we are part of it. Voting is not only our right; it is our duty, and one way we show our love for our country,” he said as he reiterated his assurance the public of the PNP’s readiness to secure the May 12 elections.
He said that police personnel and assets are already in place.
Marbil likewise called on the public to remain vigilant and professional amid potential threats that could undermine the credibility and safety of the polls.
“The PNP reaffirms its commitment to safeguarding the people’s will and upholding democracy as the nation moves closer to election day,” the PIO said.
Meanwhile, 15,842 Army soldiers are participating in the LAV at the Army headquarters in Fort Bonifacio and other key Army camps throughout the country.
Army chief Lt. Gen. Roy Galido said the Army is preparing its units and its personnel in supporting the Comelec and the PNP to ensure the peaceful and orderly conduct of the elections.
“Our role right now in the Army is to prepare the troops and our units in supporting the PNP and the Comelec in this endeavor,” said Galido.
“All of us are committed because we want this democratic exercise successful…the whole Army is closely coordinating with concerned government agencies to make this election a success,” he said.
DQ CASE
Meanwhile, the Comelec yesterday filed a disqualification case against Misamis Oriental Gov. Peter Unabia, who is running for re-election in the May 12 polls.
Garcia said the disqualification petition was file motu proprio by Task Force SAFE at the Comelec’s Office of the Clerk on late Monday afternoon.
A copy of the petition has yet to be made available by the Comelec as of press time.
It can be recalled that the task force previously issued a show cause order (SCO) against Unabia for possible violation of Comelec Resolution No. 11116 or the Anti-Discrimination and Fair Campaigning Guidelines over his statements during a campaign activity last April 3 that the province’s nursing scholarship is exclusive for female nursing students that are good-looking.
The task force deemed the statement as discriminatory against women, gender-based harassment, and labeling.
In the same event, Unabia also claimed that Maranaos and security issues would dominate Misamis Oriental in the event that the political rival of his son would win the congressional race. – With Victor Reyes
