Comelec official: MM haven for ‘flying voters’

There are close to 200,000 double registrants or "flying voters" in Metro Manila and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) expects more of them to surface come the elections in May.

"Metro Manila has about 94,000 voters who registered more than once in 2004 and we expect that number to have doubled by now," according to newly appointed Comelec’s anti-flying voters task force chief Ferdinand Rafanan.

Rafanan, who used to be the Comelec’s National Capital Region (NCR) director said there are 5.6 million registered voters in Metro Manila as of 2004. The figure is projected to increase by two percent or about 100,000 this coming elections.

Comelec Education and Information Division director James Jimenez said the poll body created the new task force as part of the effort to ensure a clean and honest May 14 elections.

"It’s a very big assignment for director Rafanan," Jimenez said.

Earlier, Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos reported that they have identified 100,000 double registrants nationwide and 18,000 of the number were charged in court.

Abalos also admitted that there are also many flying voters in Metro Manila, including his hometown of Mandaluyong City.

Abalos charged unscrupulous politicians of paying voters to register more than once to pad the vote.