DRY RUN. The Commission on Elections and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology- Dagupan conduct a dry run of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections for persons deprived of liberty at the BJMP facility in Bonuan Tondaligan on Thursday (Oct.19, 2023). The facility's 295 inmates are eligible to vote on Oct. 30. (Photo courtesy of BJMP-Dagupan)
DAGUPAN CITY – A total of 739 persons deprived of liberty (PDL) detained in seven facilities in Pangasinan province can cast their ballots during the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on Oct. 30.
In an interview Friday, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Pangasinan election supervisor lawyer Marino Salas said majority (295) of the registered PDL voters are in the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) male and female dormitories in this city, with 180 in BJMP-Urdaneta City
The others are in Balungao District Jail, 102; Burgos District Jail, 62; San Carlos City Jail, 61; BJMP-Alaminos City Jail, 35; and BJMP-Tayug District Jail, 4.
The PDL-Tayug District Jail voters will be escorted to the polling precint.
Salas said the rests of the PDL voters will cast their votes inside the facilities where they are detained.
"Naka-usap na namin pati 'yung electoral board ng mga regular na precincts, priority ang mga ito. May support staff kami na iikot kung saang barangay nakarehistro, kukunin 'yung balota (at) dadalhin sa jail facility (We have coordinated with the electoral boards in the regular precincts to prioritize them. We have a support staff who will gather the information as to where they are registered and get the ballots and bring them inside the facility)," he said.
Voting period is from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. since the ballots have to be transported back to the precincts where they originated.
Meanwhile, the common complaints that Comelec offices received on the first day of the campaign period were oversized campaign posters and posting of materials outside common poster areas.
"We encourage those who are reporting to document the evidence. They may also file formal complaints. We advise the concerned candidates to voluntarilly remove these (oversized and illegally placed campaign materials). Aside from common poster areas, they can also place their paraphernalia in private properties so long as they have the approval of the owners," he said.
Salas reiterated the call to all candidates to follow election guidelines especially since social media is being utilized in their campaigning.
He said that while use of social media is free, it is hard to monitor. (PNA)
