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Local absentee votes to be counted on Election Day: Comelec
FILE: ALL SET. The Commission on Elections is all set for the May 13 elections, its spokesperson, Director James Jimenez (left), says during the Broadcasters’ Forum held at Roland’s Farm to Table Restaurant along Visayas Ave.
, Quezon City on Wednesday (April 24, 2019). Jimenez also explained the issue of disenfranchised overseas absentee voters in the Middle East. With him is National Press Club of the Philippines (NPC) president, Rolly “Lakay” Gonzalo. (PNA photo by Ben Briones)
MANILA — Votes cast in the three-day Local Absentee Voting (LAV) will not be immediately counted, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Monday.
“The results of LAV will be made known on election day just the like rest of the country,” Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said in an interview.
With this, Jimenez warned voters not to believe news or information claiming the victory of a certain candidate.
“Again, paalala sa publiko (a reminder to the public), maglilipana na naman ‘yung mga balita na manalo sa ganitong kampo or nanalo sa ganitong opisina. Huwag tayong maniniwala (news about somebody from this camp already won will circulate. Let’s not believe it), because that information of course will be false,” he added.
Comelec data showed only 29,321 out of 35,604 applications for LAV have been approved.
AFP personnel represent bulk of the voters with 20,064, while PNP employees are 7,576 and 460 members of the media.
“For the rest of LAV, medyo mataas naman (there is a quite high) voter turnout at around 60 to 70 percent. This is expected kasi nga nag-effort sila na mapasali sa (because they made an effort to be included in the) LAV,” he added.
Aside from police officers, soldiers, media workers, government employees who will be on duty during election day are eligible for the LAV.
The three-day voting period started on Monday and will be until Wednesday in the camp or office where the voters file their applications for LAV.
Voting will be during office hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
They will be selecting candidates for national positions only, which includes 12 senators and one party-list group.
