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Comelec says voters with Covid-19 symptoms will be allowed to vote

Philippines

Comelec says voters with Covid-19 symptoms will be allowed to vote

By Leslie Ann Aquino

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said all voters will be allowed to vote on May 9 including those with symptoms of Covid-19.

Comelec/MB

"All 67.4 million Filipinos will be allowed to vote as what is happening now in the overseas voting," Comelec Commissioner George Garcia said in a press briefing on Monday, April 25.

"All voters with symptoms of COVID-19 will be allowed to vote. For everyone's information, just because you have cough colds, fever, or loose bowel movement, or other indicators that perhaps you have COVID-19, it does not mean that you will not be allowed to vote," he added.

"We will not drive away anybody. Everybody will be entitled to exercise their constitutional right to vote," said Garcia.

The poll official explained that they have health protocols in place.

The Comelec already said that those with Covid-19 symptoms will be directed to the isolation polling places (IPPs), where they will be cast their votes.

As to the possibility of declaring a postponement of the elections due to a possible surge in cases, Garcia said:"The provision of the Omnibus Election Code Sec. 6 will not justify a postponement of the elections.A postponement of the elections can only be done in case of force majeure, in case of of destruction of election paraphernalia in case of violenece, intimidation, and other similar instances. The question is can the Covid-19 situation or spike in Covid-19 be considered as a force majeure? That is something we will have to decide later."

Related Tags

commissioner george garcia covid-19 Comelec Commission on Elections

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