240,000 absentee voters face removal from list

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has reported that almost 240,000 overseas absentee voters (OAVs) could be stricken out from the voter’s list after they failed to vote in the last two consecutive polls.

“A total of 238,557 OAVs who failed to vote during the 2007 and 2010 national elections should now be removed or deleted from the NROAV (National Registry of OAV),” Comelec Resolution No. 9567 stated.

But the Comelec said the voters still have one chance to participate in the 2013 polls by filing a manifestation of intent to vote until Dec. 21.

“To afford these OAV the chance to exercise their right of suffrage for the forthcoming 2013 elections considering that they are duly registered and are included in the NROAV, prior to their removal from the NROAV, notice shall be published in two newspapers of general circulation, and the list of their names will be published in the websites of both the Commission and the Department of Foreign Affairs,” the agency said.

The Comelec said the “manifestation of intent” could be filed by the absentee voters with different Philippine posts “having jurisdiction over their residence or directly with” the Commission on Absentee Voting, Manila or online at www.comelec.gov.ph/coav or through fax no. (632) 521 2952.

“Only after the failure of the concerned OAV to submit the required application within the given period shall their name be removed from the NROAV,” the resolution showed.