No absentee voting before brgy polls

CEBU, Philippines - The Commission on Elections is reminding members of the media, police, and the military that there will be no local absentee voting for the upcoming barangay elections.

Comelec Cebu Provincial Supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano said the local absentee voting only applies to national and local elections.

“Remember sa local absentee voting you only have to vote for national positions. So it doesn’t apply to barangay elections,” Castillano explained, saying that schedules should be set for the October 28 elections.

In the recent midterm elections last May, a three-day local absentee voting was held for accredited members of the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines and members of the media.

During the past few elections though, only members of the PNP and AFP who were assigned in places far from the precincts where they are registered were allowed to participate in local absentee voting as well as some government officials and teachers.

However, last March, President Benigno Aquino III signed into law Republic Act 10380 or the “An act providing for local absentee voting for media.” 

Meanwhile, the campaign period for barangay officials will start on October 18. Comelec recently announced that the conditional cash transfer program of the government would be temporarily halted when the campaign period starts to prevent possible use of the program for undue advantage during campaigning.  (FREEMAN)