BY JEN BAYLON
ILOILO – Some persons deprived of liberty (PDL) at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) Iloilo District Jail in Barangay Nanga, Pototan are set to cast their votes for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
According to Jail Chief Inspector Denver Beltran, 167 PDLs in the facility, comprising 16 females and 151 males, were registered voters.
Earlier this year, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) held satellite registrations for the PDLs. This Monday, Oct. 30, they can choose and vote candidates of Barangay Nanga.
The Comelec and BJMP personnel have allowed candidates to campaign inside the jail facility but with certain protocols and additional requirements such as authority to conduct campaigns, a letter of intent, and a scheduled time for their interaction with the PDLs, which gives them 30 minutes each to present their platforms.
On the election day, the PDLs will be attended to by the Special Electoral Board for PDLs. The voting process will be coordinated with the regular polling precincts.
According to Beltran, allowing PDLs to exercise their right to vote is essential to upholding democratic values and recognizing their participation in the electoral process. This initiative not only empowers the PDLs but also promotes inclusivity and strengthens democracy, he added.
The BJMP-Pototan currently houses a total of 957 PDLs./PN
