MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is mulling to indefinitely suspend the voter registration of overseas Filipino workers in Israel as tensions escalate in the country following the surprise attack by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas last October 7.
Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the Commission plans to recommend the indefinite suspension tomorrow (October 11) to prioritize the safety of Filipino workers based in Israel.
“Simula pa nung linggo nagsara ang ating Philippine Embassy doon subalit base sa report sa ating ng embahada ay nagbukas muli sila, kaya lang tayo ay mag re-recommend bukas sa commission en banc na baka pu-pwede i-suspend muna indefinitely yung registration ng botante natin dyan sa Israel,” Garcia told reporters in an ambush interview on Tuesday.
(Since Sunday, the Philippine Embassy in Israel has closed down, but based on the recent report we received, it already reopened. But tomorrow, we will recommend to the Commission en banc the indefinite suspension of voter registration in Israel.)
“Mahirap po natin ipagbakasakali ang buhay ng ating mga kababayan gayung hindi pa talaga maayos ang sitwasyon sa lugar,” he added.
(We do not want to risk our fellow Filipinos’ safety, especially now that the situation in Israel is not yet resolved.)
Earlier, the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration said it is closely monitoring the situation of 24,807 Filipinos in Israel and the Gaza Strip.
Also on Tuesday, Foreign Affairs spokesperson Teresita Daza said one missing Filipino in Israel has been found while six others are still unaccounted for.