More than 7M Pinoys may lose right to vote

MANILA — More than seven million may not be able to vote in the 2016 presidential polls if they do not have their biometrics taken in time, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) warned Thursday.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the continuing registration would resume on May 6 but the poll body has yet to gather the biometrics data of over seven million voters.

“Remember: Registered voters without biometrics could have voted in 2013 and 2010 but still won’t be able to vote in 2016 without biometrics,” Jimenez said in his Twitter account.

Under the Mandatory Biometrics Registration Act of 2013 (Republic Act No. 10367), voters who fail to submit their biometrics data for validation before the May 2016 polls shall be deactivated from the voters’ lists.

Biometrics data pertain to digital photograph, fingerprints and signature.

Jimenez added that a majority of those without biometrics were those who registered before the 2004 polls when the biometrics system was introduced.

Jimenez urged voters to check the status of their registration.

“Registered as a voter before 2004? If yes, you must validate your registration starting May 6, 2014 or you might not be able to vote in 2016,” Jimenez tweeted. ( Philippine STAR News Service)