ILOILO City – To ensure an efficient and credible electoral process for the upcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on Monday, Oct. 30, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has outlined specific rules and regulations for voters to observe.
Unlike previous automated systems, this year’s BSKE will see a return to manual voting.
Voters will use a ballot secrecy folder and fill up the ballot by manually writing the names of their chosen candidates in the provided spaces, based on the certified list of candidates.
Atty. Reinier Layson, Provincial Election Supervisor and concurrent City Election Officer of Comelec-Iloilo, has emphasized the importance of voters preparing and bringing their guide list of candidates.
He also issued a stern warning against using cell phones inside the polling precincts.
“Everyone knows our procedure in the polling place during the elections must not be disturbed and should be continuous. Bringing cell phones can disrupt our procedure,” Layson said.
He raised concerns over the possibility of people using mobile phones to capture images of their ballots, potentially facilitating vote-buying.
“Taking pictures of ballots is a grave violation that undermines the secrecy and sanctity of the vote,” Layson stressed.
However, there are specific exemptions. Poll watchers, for instance, are permitted to bring their cell phones to monitor the election processes effectively.
Yet, Layson clarified that even they are subject to restrictions, particularly against taking photos of voters, those casting votes, and the ballots themselves.
Here are the general instructions on voting pursuant to Article XVII, Sections 412-569 of Resolution No. 10924:
Rules to be Observed During Voting Process
* The voters shall vote in the order of their arrival in the polling place.
* No watcher enters the places reserved for the voters and the Electoral Board (EB), nor mingle and talk with the voters.
* No person carrying any firearm or any other deadly weapon, except those expressly authorized by the commission, enters the polling place.
* No crowding of voters and disorderly behavior inside the polling place shall occur.
* The interior cover of the ballot box shall remain locked until the voting is finished and the counting begins, except when it becomes necessary to make room for more ballots, the chairperson, may in the presence of watchers, open the box, press down the ballots without removing any of them. After which, the chairperson shall again close the interior cover of the ballot box and lock it with the padlock.
Prohibition on Voting
It shall be unlawful to:
* bring the ballot and/or the ballot secrecy folder outside the polling place, except for voting involving persons with disability, senior citizens, and heavy pregnant women voters and voters in the Isolation Polling Precinct (IPP);
* speak with anyone while inside the polling place;
* prepare the ballot without using a ballot secrecy folder or exhibits its contents to any persons;
* erase any printing from the ballot or place any distinguishing mark thereon;
* use carbon paper, paraffin paper or other means of making a copy of the contents of the ballot, or otherwise make use of any scheme to identify the vote, including the use of digital cameras, cellular phones, or similar gadgets; and
* disrupt or attempt to disrupt the proceedings of the EB.
Persons Allowed Inside the Polling Place
* EB members
* watchers who shall stay only in the space reserved for them
* voters casting their votes
* voters waiting for their turn to vote
* voters waiting for their turn to get their ballots
* others who are specifically authorized by the commission
Persons Not Allowed in and Around the Polling Place
Unless specifically authorized by the Comelec, it is unlawful for the following to enter any polling place or stay within a radius of 50 meters thereof, except to vote:
* any officer or member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines or the Philippine National Police (PNP), unless said PNP personnel is duly appointed as EB members pursuant to Section 147, thereof;
* any peace officer or armed person belonging to any extra-legal police agency, special forces, reaction forces, strike forces, Civilian Armed Force Geographical Units, barangay tanods, or other similar forces or paramilitary forces, including special forces, security guards, special policemen;
* all other kinds of armed or unarmed extra-legal police forces; and
* incumbent barangay and SK official, whether elected or appointed.
The voters shall fall in line in the order of their arrival in the polling place and cast their vote in the same order. They shall not crowd around the table of the EB and shall immediately depart after casting their votes.
The EB shall give priority to PWDs, senior citizens, and heavily pregnant voters.
Manner of Obtaining Ballots
In obtaining the ballot/s, the voters shall:
* Upon entering the voting center, proceed to the designated Voter’s Assistance Desk (VAD) to secure the precinct and sequence numbers and assigned clustered precinct. In the absence of any designated VAD, the voters shall follow the usual procedure of finding their precinct number and polling place
* Proceed to the assigned clustered precinct and approach any member of the EB or its support staff, and state their names, precinct number, and sequence number.
The poll clerk shall:
* Find out if the name of the voter is in the Election Day Computerized Voters’ List (EDCVL) and establish his/her identity. If the voter’s name is not in the EDCVL, the voter shall not be allowed to vote, and shall be requested to leave the polling place
* If the identity is established, check the fingernails for any indelible ink stain. If stained, it shall be a conclusive presumption that the voter has already casted his/her vote. As such, the voter shall be directed to leave the polling place after informing him/her the reason thereof. This fact, including the name and the precinct of the voter, shall be recorded in the minutes.
* If the fingernail is not stained, establish the identity of the voter through the following: voter’s photograph or specimen signature in the EDCVL or in any other authentic identification document, except community tax certificate; or in the absence of any of the above-mentioned proof of identity, any member of the EB or any registered voter of the precinct/clustered precinct may identify under oath the voter, and such fact shall be reflected in the minutes
* If satisfied with the voter’s identity, the name of the voter shall be distinctly announced in a tone loud enough to be heard through the polling place. If not satisfied with the voter’s identity, the voter shall be directed to leave the polling place after informing him/her of the reason therefor
* If the voter is not challenged or having been challenged, and the question has been decided in his/her favor, require the voter to sign in the EDCVL. In case of illiterate voters or PWDs who cannot sign, require said voters to affix their thumb marks in the EDCVL.
* Thereafter, the voter shall be directed to the chairperson.
The chairperson shall:
* Distinctly announce in a tone loud enough to be heard throughout the polling place the name, precinct number and Serial Number (SN) of the barangay ballot and/or SK ballot to be issued to the voter. The poll clerk shall enter the same in the corresponding space labeled “Ballot SN” beside the name of the voter in the EDCVL-Barangay and/or EDCVL-SK
* Only the chairperson shall issue the ballot and not more than one ballot shall be issued at one time except, in cases where the voter is a barangay resident and at the same time, within the age range of 18 to 30 years old.
In case any voter, under the 18 to 30 years old category, refuses to accept any of the two ballots (SK and barangay), distinctly announce the fact of refusal. With the presence of the concerned voter, write the word “ABSTAINED” and sign at the back of the ballot and deposit the same, in the compartment for spoiled ballots. The incident and the SN of the ballot shall be recorded in the minutes./PN
