The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) announced Tuesday that qualified detainees in the country can now register and vote in the May 10, 2010 National and Local Elections.

In a resolution promulgated May 26, 2009; the COMELEC en banc resolved to approve and adopt the proposal of the poll body’s Committee on Detainee Registration and Voting, headed by Commissioner Rene V. Sarmiento; to provide a mechanism for qualified detainees to exercise their right to suffrage.

Through on-site list-up drives, the COMELEC said, at least 200 detainees will now be able to register and/or transfer their registration records even without a court order because, “it follows the idea of satellite registration.”

The poll body however explained that the detainees who will be allowed to register through satellite registrations according to COMELEC Minute Resolution No. 09-0307 only include: “Qualified detainees who are residents of the city or municipality where they are incarcerated. For cities where there are several districts, only the detainees who are residents of the said district where the detention center is located.”

Less than 200 detainees will also be allowed to register via off-site registrations, the COMELEC added. When they register, these detainees will have to be escorted and will be given priority through the COMELEC express lanes. “Detainees need to obtain court order to be allowed to go out and register before the election officer of the city or municipality of residence,” said the COMELEC.

Meanwhile, the COMELEC explained that detainees who are registered voters in the city or municipality of incarceration need to obtain a court order in order to be allowed to vote outside jail premises through “off-site escorted voting.” ###

Posted: 06.15.2009 LTO, Updated: 01.20.2012 JJSH