300 suspected ‘flying voters’ nabbed in Maguindanao

COTABATO CITY, Philippines– Some 300 suspected “flying voters” in Maguindanao were rounded up for investigation after police impounded chartered vehicles loaded with passengers who were on their way to registration centers of the Commission on Elections on Monday morning.

“We strongly condemn this act by people who allow themselves to be used,” Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu said.

“I strongly appeal to the President and to Comelec Chair (Sixto) Brillantes to annul the old list of voters starting today and conduct a totally new registration of voters using the biometric system,” Mangudadatu said.

Chief Inspector Abubakar Mangelen Jr., head of the provincial police mobile group, said out of the 300 passengers taken to the various police stations, at least 50 were minors.

Military and police checkpoints halted passenger jeepneys and Elf-type vehicles transporting suspected multiple registrants in Rajah Buayan, Sultan sa Barongis, Datu Unsay, and Saidona.

“They (arrested passengers) told us they were hired to register as voters but they have yet to tell us who hired them so we can file appropriate charges against these people,” said Mangelen.

“We have to get the mastermind of this criminal activity,” Mangelen added.

Mangudadatu said Brillantes, who earlier endorsed the annulment of the old voter’s list in Maguindanao and other parts of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and conduct a general registration using the biometric method, appeared to have abandoned such position.

“We have to stop the continuing registration of voters since this has already been marred by reports of registration irregularities,” Mangudadatu said.

Brillantes, during his recent visit here, said the government would need at least P850 million to do away with the old voter’s list and start with the fraudulent-free registration.