(Photo courtesy of BJMP-PIO)
MANILA – They may be isolated from the outside world but 33,409 Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) under the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) will be part of the elections on Monday.
Inmates are allowed to vote only for national positions -- President, Vice President, senators, and party-list. PDL voting shall be from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.
BJMP chief Jail Director Allan Iral led a simulation exercise at Manila City Jail–Male Dormitory on Sunday while also directing all units to ensure zero incident and orderly casting of votes.
“Siguruhin natin na magiging maayos ang pagboto ng ating mga PDL at wala tayong anumang insidente sa ating mga pasilidad (Let’s make sure our PDLs vote properly and we don’t have any incidents in our facilities),” Iral said in an interview.
Commission on Elections’ Resolution No. 10768 states that a PDL may vote either at a special polling established inside a jail facility or escorted to a regular polling place.
BJMP spokesperson Xavier Solda said 30,726 will vote on-site.
There are 29,534 male voters and 3,875 female, or 39.2 percent of the 131,021 jail population in 475 district, city, and municipal jails nationwide.
The city jails with the highest number of PDL voters this year are Cebu City, 1,102; Talisay City, 878; Lapu-Lapu City, 701; Antipolo City, 576; and Bacoor City, 534, all male dormitories.
Only PDL voters whose names appear in the certified list or posted computerized list may vote.
Each polling place shall accommodate 50 to 100 voters.
Medical personnel shall be assigned at the entrance of all polling place to check the temperature before they are allowed to vote.
If the temperature is above 37.4 Celsius or exhibiting symptoms of Covid-19, the voter shall be taken to an isolation polling place.
PDL voters who have been issued court orders allowing them to vote in their polling places shall have security escorts and be allowed to use express or priority lanes.
BJMP escorts may bring firearms inside the polling place and must return immediately with the voters straight to the jail facilities without any stops.
This is the fifth time that PDLs are given the privilege to exercise their right to suffrage.
A total of 65,745,529 Filipinos will cast their ballots in 37,141 voting centers on Monday. (PNA)
