‘Election tourism’ happens in Tawi-Tawi, says Comelec Commissioner Sarmiento

Commissioner Rene Sarmiento. INQUIRER file photo

MANILA, Philippines—Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento said ‘election tourism’ is happening in Tawi-Tawi, one of the five provinces in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, he revealed in an interview with anchors Susan K, Den Macaranas and Captain Dylan Halili of Radyo Inquirer early Thursday.

‘Election tourism’ is a phrase used by Lanao del Sur Assemblywoman Samira Gutoc-Tomawis last Tuesday in another interview with Radyo Inquirer. It is a dirty tactic used by politicians during the registration period and the actual election day by shouldering the transportation expenses plus allowances of fake voters from as far as Metro Manila.

Sarmiento, who is assigned in Tawi-Tawi , said there was an “unusual arrival” of planes and ships even before the start of the 10-day ARMM voters’ registration last July 9. “A lot of people are coming in.”

Thursday being the 4^th day, he said there were pocket incidents of skirmishes but otherwise in Tawi-Tawi everything is peaceful.

“There are a lot of minors, children and teenagers, brought in by politicians to register. I saw a woman fully made up on the line but when I looked closer, I think she’s only around four years old. But we will fix this kind of irregularities. On the final list, we’ll know who is of the right age and who has valid residency. These underage registrants and flying voters will be taken off our final list,” he said.

Asked on how many registrants came in for the entire ARMM, he gave an estimate of around 70,000 on the first day, more than 100,000 on the 2^nd, another 100,000 on the 3^rd day.

In the 2010 elections, ARMM had 1.7 million “registered voters.”  Labeled as the “cheating capital of the Philippines,” Sarmiento assured that with the cleaning up of the old voters’ lists, there could be around 1.1 million to 1.2 million actual residents who are qualified to vote.

For the full interview, listen to the attached audio clip from Radyo Inquirer 990AM.