By Chito Chavez
The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) said no untoward incident was reported in its jail facilities as the detainees cast their votes in Monday’s mid-term elections.
(BJMP NCR / MANILA BULLETIN)
In placing its jail facilities on red alert, BJMP Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Jail Chief Superintendent Allan S. Iral was in constant contact with BJMP regional directors to ensure the orderly conduct of the electoral process involving the BJMP’s persons deprived of liberty (PDL).
Iral on Monday visited the jail facilities in Las Piñas, Muntinlupa and Makati to observe the conduct of voting process among the PDL.
“The agency is in full force today as we ensure the safe and secured conduct of election in jails. We hope to conclude the voting process with no untoward incidents”, Iral said referring to Monday’s voting process among the PDLs.
PDEA spokesman Chief Inspector Xavier Solda said the bureau has 37,522 male voters and 6,252 females or a total of 43,774 registered PDL voters.
He noted the number of qualified voters increased as compared to the 2016 national elections with 40,312 PDL registered PDL voters.
The BJMP was declared on full alert status over the weekend until the conclusion of the elections.
It also activated the Task Force “Tutok Halalan” to address regional concerns on real-time basis to generate a steady stream of reports for relay to the Comelec.
In accordance with the existing policies and guidelines of the BJMP on detainee voting, special polling places were established in 207 jail facilities for on-site voters while there are 200 jails with registered off-site voters.
Only those whose names appeared in the voters list were allowed to vote. In off-site voting, the PDL are being escorted to designated polling precincts outside the jails to vote. The offsite voting process happens when there are only few registered PDL voters in the jail facility.
Meanwhile, the BJMP Task Force Tutok Halalan continued to monitor the conduct of elections in jails.
The BJMP exercises supervision and control of all district, city and municipal jails across the country. #MatalinongBoto2019