The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) urged the persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) to register for next year’s Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE).

BJMP Director Allan Iral made the call as the voter registration resumes on Dec. 12 after the previously scheduled BSKE was rescheduled.

The registration period will run from Dec. 12 to Jan. 31, 2023.

“Ang pagboto ay isang karapatang pantao na lubos na pinapahalagahan ng BJMP. Ito ay upang masiguro na walang mapagqiiwanan sa ating mga kababayan lalo na yung mga nasa piitan (It is the people’s right to cast their votes that the BJMP puts prime importance. This is to ensure that our countrymen will not be left out especially those behind bars),’’ Iral said.

“Sa muling pagbubukas ng voter’s registration bukas, makiisa po tayong lahat na mga kwalipikado ng bumuto na magparehistro (With the resumption of the voter’s registration tomorrow, let us cooperate, qualified voters to register),” he added.

On March 22, the Supreme Court promulgated Commission on Elections (Comelec) Resolution No. 9371, indicating that PDLs may now be permitted to register and vote in both national and local elections.

Under the Comelec guidelines, the qualified PDLs are those who are at least 18 years of age on election day and/or committed inside the jail facility or detention center for at least six months immediately preceding the election day; confined in jail facility or detention center, formally charged for any crime and awaiting or undergoing trial; serving a sentence of imprisonment for less than one year; or whose conviction is on appeal.

However, the PDLs are disqualified to register if they have been sentenced by final judgment to suffer imprisonment of not less than one year and those who have been adjudged by final judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction or tribunal of having committed any crime involving disloyalty to the duly constituted government, such as rebellion, insurrection, violation of the firearms laws, or any crime against national security.

“Furthermore, Resolution No. 10711 states that the Comelec will allot one day of special satellite registration (SSR) in jails with 1 to 249 qualified PDL registrants; two days in jails with 250 to 499 registrants; three days for jails with 500 to 749 registrants; four days for jails with 750 to 999 registrants; and five days for jails with more than 1,000 qualified registrants,’’ the BJMP stated.

“For a city with two or more districts and the jail facility or detention center is located in one of the districts, all Election Officers in the said city may conduct SSR therein for qualified PDL registrants who are residents in their jurisdictions,’’ it added.

In the May 9, 2022 national elections, the BJMP recorded a turnout of 29, 286 or 88.67 percent of the 33,027 registered PDL voters who were able to vote.

Cebu City Jail – Male Dormitory topped the list of BJMP jail facilities with the highest number of PDL registered voters with 1,102 registrants; followed by Talisay City Jail – Male Dormitory with 878 PDL voters; and Lapu-Lapu City Jail – Male Dormitory with 701 PDL voters.

Of the 477 BJMP jail facilities, 180 have more than 50 PDL registered voters. (Chito A. Chavez)