Comelec: Absentee voters have until March 7 to apply

CEBU, Philippines - Members of the media and government officials who will be on duty in May 2016 elections have until March 7 next year to apply for local absentee voting.

According to Comelec Resolution No. 9981, local absentee voters can cast their ballots from April 27 to 29, 2016. Also covered by the privilege are members of the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines. The voting, however, will be limited to national positions and party-list representatives.

In a STAR report, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez stressed that only registered voters are eligible for absentee voting. For media workers, their application forms with certification from their companies that they are bonafide media practitioner must be submitted to the office of election officer for highly urbanized cities, and the office of the provincial election supervisor.

Republic Act 10380 (Act Providing for Local Absentee Voting for Media, Media Practitioners and support staff) granted the privilege to vote ahead of the election day.

The poll body also set April 15 as the last day to verify the eligibility of the applicant for the local absentee voting. — Michael Vencynth H. Braga/FPL (FREEMAN)