Inmates join 2013 Election

Photo provided thru FB of SJOI Gregorio Batoon

PAGADIAN CITY – Although they are in jail, the inmates here still exercised their rights to suffrage in last Monday’s National and Local Midterm Election.

A total of 241 inmates clad in yellow shirts marked “BJMP detainee” have cast their votes at the city jail’s administrative office which was converted into a special polling place for clustered precincts 156-A, 156-B and 156-C.

City Jail Warden Senior Inspector Mashur Sala said the inmates, which were composed of 199 males and 42 females, have successfully cast their votes with the help of a special Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) assigned by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to assist and facilitate the voting. 

Comelec Resolution 9371 states that detainee voting, either through the special polling place inside jails or escorted voting, may be availed of by any registered detainee whose registration record is not transferred, deactivated, cancelled or deleted.

Photo provided thru FB of SJOI Gregorio Batoon

Sala said this is the first time in the country’s history that inmates can vote inside the jail. “Before inmates used to go offsite voting, where they will be brought to the Comelec office to cast their votes, escorted by jail guards. But now, the voting will be done onsite,” Sala explained.

After the inmates had cast their votes, Sala said, the BJMP officers delivered the official ballots to polling precincts at Lenienza Elementary School to be fed into the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines to have their votes counted.

Meanwhile, detainees expressed happiness over the government’s concern of their right to suffrage.

“Dako kaayo ang kalipay nga ang gobyerno pinaagi sa Comelec nga mihatag ug kahigayonan kanamo nga mga piniriso nga makabotar bisan kami anaa sulod sa bilangguan (are extremely happy that the government through Comelec is giving us (inmates) the opportunity to exercise our right to suffrage even if we are jailed),” said 50-year old Jimmy Malaco of barangay Tiguma, who suffered mild stroke, aided by an inmate and his crutches in going to the voting center.

“Nakadayeg ako nga gihimo kini sa gobyerno alang kanamo nga mga piniriso aron nga kami nga wala pa mahukmi nga sad-an makapili sa mga kandidato nga buot namo modumala sa kagamhanan. (I appreciate that the government is doing this for us (inmates), who are not yet convicted by the court to choose our own candidates who will run the affairs of the government. I hope that this activity will be regularly conducted),” said the 41 year-old Antonio Lagajit of barangay Sta. Lucia. (FPG/GCC/PIA9-Pagadian City)