Manila’s ‘voting dead’ surprise living

In some precincts in Manila, the dead apparently could still vote.

Magalina Anazario, 64, was surprised to see the name of her deceased husband still among the living on the list provided by the Commission on Elections.

The widow said her husband Ricardo died in September 2014, but based on the official list for Barangay 662 that was posted at Araullo High School in Ermita, he could still join her in casting votes. “So he’s still alive?!” she said with a chuckle. “I can’t believe it, to think the Comelec seemed so strict in the collection of [voters’] biometrics.”

Finding a dead uncle on the Comelec list also puzzled Evelyn Esguerra. But instead of being amused like Anazario, Esguerra ended up feeling dismayed for the living voter she accompanied to the precinct—her deaf-mute niece.

“You know what’s worse? It’s my niece’s name not being on the list,” Esguerra said.

Aside from having erratic lists, Araullo was one of the polling centers in Manila where voting was stalled by technical glitches concerning vote-counting machines (VCMs).

Problematic VCMs were also reported at Alejandro Albert and C.P. Garcia in Sampaloc, Almario Elementary School, and Ramon Magsasay High School.