MANILA, Philippines – Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal on Tuesday urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to strengthen its voter education drive for the May midterm elections.
Macalintal said Comelec did not do enough to educate voters on the right of suffrage even if it is its primary duty.
“Ang problema sa Comelec, kung ano-ano ang inaasikaso, bawal ito, bawal yun. Pero I have never heard of Comelec [on] educating the people of the importance of the right of suffrage,” he said.
(The problem with Comelec is that it is dealing with prohibitions and other things, but I have never heard of the poll body educating the people on the importance of the right to suffrage.)
“When we vote, we vote on behalf of the people who cannot vote in the polls. We vote on behalf of people who cannot read and write,” he added.
Macalintal is running for senator under the Otso Diretso coalition of opposition parties. /gsg