AROUND 38 inmates of Metro Bacolod District Jail (MBDJ)-Female Dormitory in Barangay Handumanan, Bacolod City were registered by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday, August 28, in preparation for the May 2019 elections.
City Election Registrar Mavil Majarucon-Sia said its part of the satellite registration for detainee voters at BJMP-Bacolod Female Dormitory which was conducted with the direct supervision of Commissioner Ma. Rowena Guanzon since she is the commissioner-in-charge on detainee voting.
She said the BJMP's female facility has a total of 192 inmates, but only 38 joined the registration where they can only vote for the national position and not in the local polls.
"After they learned that they cannot vote for the local positions, most of them decided not to join the registration," she added.
Majarucon-Sia noted that most of the inmates are already registered voters, but not in Bacolod City.
Of 192 inmates, most of them are facing drug charges.
Majarucon-Sia said the inmates, who have not been convicted, have the right to vote so Comelec will accommodate them to register.
She said on September 14, the satellite registration for inmates will continue at MBDJ-Special Intensive Care Area in Barangay Singcang-Airport and another registration on September 21 at MBDJ-Male Dormitory in Barangay Handumanan.
"It's a simultaneous activity of the Comelec not only in Bacolod City but also in some cities and municipalities in Negros Occidental," she added.
