Comelec: Delayed release of voters list will not affect May 9 polls

(INQUIRER PHOTO / NINO JESUS ORBETA)

MANILA, Philippines — The delayed release of the voters’ list from Feb. 8 to March 29, 2022 will not affect the conduct of the May 9 elections, an official of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) assured on Monday.

Comelec Director Elaiza David explained that the delay is due to the process of “cleaning” the voters’ list of double or multiple registrations and deceased voters.

“Hindi naman po” (Not really), she replied when asked in a Laging Handa public briefing if the delay would cause problems during the conduct of the May 9 elections.

“Dumadaan din ‘yun sa proseso ng paglilinis, especially ‘yung ating mga double or multiple registration. So inaalis lahat ‘yun pati na rin yung mga namayapa na voters,” she added.

(It undergoes the process of cleaning wherein we remove double or multiple registrations as well as deceased voters.)

“So kailangang lang linisin ‘yun kaya kinakailangan na ma-delay din ‘yung paglabas ng voters list,” David continued.

(So we need to clean the list, therefore the release of the list will be delayed.)

As of Dec. 20, the Comelec has tallied more than 65.7 million registered voters for the May 9, 2022 elections.

David said the bulk of the voters come from the 39 to 59 years old age group.

According to Comelec Resolution No. 10758, there was a “delay in the delivery of the continuous forms, A4 papers, and toners needed by the field offices” to print the voters’ list.

Under Republic Act No. 8189, the Comelec is tasked to post a certified list of voters 90 days before a regular election.

The poll body, however, noted it has clear authority under RA 9369 to fix other periods and dates if it is no longer reasonable to observe the periods and dates prescribed by law.

Because of the adjustments in schedule, the last day that election registration boards can meet to certify the lists of voters has been moved from February 3 to March 24.

gsg