Jinggoy Estrada raises concern over San Juan City’s ‘flying voters’

MANILA, Philippines — Alleged flying voters in San Juan City took the center stage of the Senate’s deliberations on the proposed funding of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) held Monday.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada couldn’t help but utter a curse at San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora, claiming that no candidates from other political parties will have a chance of being a public official in San Juan because of the allegedly ballooning flying voters in the area.

“They will always vote for whoever our stupid mayor says. There is nothing to do because they have 30,000 flying voters,” said Estrada.

READ: Jinggoy Estrada’s privilege speech hits new San Juan city ordinance

According to Estrada, registered voters in San Juan City in the national and local elections sharply increased to 109,640 or an increase of 32.13 percent in 2022 from 71,225 voters in 2016.

Likewise, he said, registered voters in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections jumped to 106,823, increasing by 42.46 percent in 2023 from 75,037 SK voters in 2018.

In comparison, he said, registered voters for the national and local elections increased by 3.75 percent in Pasig, 1.33 percent in Mandaluyong, 5.55 percent in Quezon City and 6.37 percent in Manila while voters in the barangay and SK elections increased by 9.95 percent in Pasig City, 5.5 percent in Mandaluyong, 14.91 percent in Quezon City and 15.86 percent in Manila City.

“Well, do you think this is highly irregular? Kasi as compared to the other cities here in Metro Manila, San Juan lang, which is second to the smallest city in Metro Manila, ballooned to around 42 percent as compared to itong mga ibang kalapit bayan,” said Estrada.

At the end of Estrada’s questioning was Sen. Imee Marcos who was speaking on behalf of Comelec as the sponsor of the agency’s budget.

Marcos, for her part, said it was indeed irregular.

‘Erring’ San Juan councilor candidate

Later into the deliberations, Estrada presented a copy of a certificate of candidacy of one aspiring councilor in San Juan.

“His address is Unit A, N. Domingo. Unit A, N. Domingo. (N. Domingo street) is very long. But there’s no building, no number,” said Estrada.

According to Estrada, the candidate is a basketball player, but not from San Juan.

“I do not have anything against basketball players as long as they are legitimate residents of San Juan. Basketball players now occupy the city council in San Juan. They are not even from San Juan. What are we going to do with this? Pursuant to the executive order of San Juan, they should exercise due diligence. (So) why are we going to just accept a COC that says Unit A, N. Domingo? What is this?” he asked.

Estrada said he is not certain whether a disqualification case had already been filed against this particular candidate, hoping that the Comelec will act on it immediately in order to remove the name of the candidate in ballots.