30,000 PDLs to cast vote on May 12
THE Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) yesterday announced that all the 393 facilities to be used as special polling precincts are already in place for the 31,715 Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) who are qualified to vote in the May 12 midterm elections.
According to BJMP spokesperson Supt. Jayrex Bustinera, seven detainees were approved by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to run as candidates in different electoral posts, which include Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, who is seeking a senatorial post under the opposition team.
Quiboloy is presently detained at the Pasig City Male Dormitory.
One of the seven candidates is eyeing a congressional slot, another one is targeting a mayoral post, while the other four are targeting two vice-mayoral and two council seats, respectively.
The BJMP has 484 jails nationwide.
In a press briefing yesterday, Bustinera said that PDLs in the 393 polling precincts will have to vote inside the detention facilities.
“Yong mga facility lang na may 50 and less registered voters lang ang pabobotohin sa labas ng kulungan, . . . . of course with escorts,” he told reporters.
A total of 31,251 (out of the 31,715) are considered on-site PDL voters. In this case, a total of 464 PDLs (435 male and 29 female) have already secured their respective court orders and are assigned to an off-site voting precinct.
When asked on the case of Quiboloy, Bustinera said; “ nakarehsitro sya sa Davao kaya lang sa Pasig sya naka-detain, kaya mahihirapan siguro sya kumuha ng court order.”
Jails with the highest PDL voters are Zamboanga City Jail Male Dorm with 1,088, followed by Iloilo City Jail MD with 954, and Manila City Jail MD with 927.
Bacoor City Jail MD has 694, while Metro Bacolod District Jail Annex has 588.
