Press can now vote early

Members of the media are now accorded absentee voting rights after the Commission on Election En Banc voted 5-1 on October 9 in favor of the petition.

On Elections 2013, over 200,000 press members will be able to vote early just like soldiers, policemen, and other government officers and employees who will be performing election duties.

Election lawyer Romulo Macalintal filed the petition in behalf of the 213,900 qualified voters who are also members of the media. The petition points that journalists and broadcasters fail to exercise their right to vote on election day since they are often assigned in areas far from where they are registered as voters. This is a recurring election problem and that number of the press is significant in determining the national election results.

Filed before COMELEC in April, the petition only covers national posts.

COMELEC Chairman Sixto Brillantes said that the early voting will most likely be held at the COMELEC headquarters in Intramuros, Manila to secure the ballots and that boxes will not be opened until election day.

COMELEC is yet to come up with implementing rules and regulations that will work as the local absentee voting. Once the IRR is finalized, COMELEC will set a schedule for the start of early voting for media.

With report from the Philippine Daily Inquirer/J.R.Uy