CBCP to Comelec: Allow prisoners who are not yet convicted to vote
10/21/2008 | 03:22 PM
MANILA, Philippines - The prison ministry of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines on Tuesday urged lawmakers and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to allow prisoners who are awaiting conviction to participate in the elections.
The call was aired by the CBCP's Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care (CBCP-ECPPC) Executive Secretary Rodolfo Diamante who pointed out that these are prisoners who have yet to be convicted of crimes.
Diamante added that these persons should be given the chance to exercise their rights of suffrage.
His proposal would benefit at least 70 percent of the estimated 85,000 prisoners throughout the country who are still awaiting conviction from local courts.
“Since they are still presumed innocent, the CBCP-ECPPC believes that being detention prisoners, their civil and political rights as citizens remain intact and can be availed of," he said.
The CBCP-ECPPC is celebrating the Prison Awareness Sunday on October 26.
Diamante added that allowing detention prisoners to vote, is also a step in bringing dignity back to the prisoners, who are languishing in jail despite the absence of a court ruling.
“The commission argues that imprisonment has been shown to be counterproductive in the rehabilitation and integration of prisoners," he noted.
The proposal was welcomed by Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento who said that prisoners who are not convicted yet has still the right to participate in any electoral exercise.
“Your Comelec is fully supportive to this proposition… dahil habang hindi pa nahahatulan, may karapatan pa rin silang bumoto," Sarmiento said.
For his part, Fr. Robert Reyes of the Asian Human Rights Commission echoed the Comelec official’s statement adding that it will benefit not only the prisoners but also the facility as well.
“Isipin niyo na lang kung pwede bumoto ang mga nasa kulungan… ang mga candidates for public offices ay mangangampanya sa loob ng kulungan at baka mag-establish pa ng mga proyekto para sa kanila doon sa loob," he said.- GMANews.TV
The call was aired by the CBCP's Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care (CBCP-ECPPC) Executive Secretary Rodolfo Diamante who pointed out that these are prisoners who have yet to be convicted of crimes.
Diamante added that these persons should be given the chance to exercise their rights of suffrage.
His proposal would benefit at least 70 percent of the estimated 85,000 prisoners throughout the country who are still awaiting conviction from local courts.
“Since they are still presumed innocent, the CBCP-ECPPC believes that being detention prisoners, their civil and political rights as citizens remain intact and can be availed of," he said.
The CBCP-ECPPC is celebrating the Prison Awareness Sunday on October 26.
Diamante added that allowing detention prisoners to vote, is also a step in bringing dignity back to the prisoners, who are languishing in jail despite the absence of a court ruling.
“The commission argues that imprisonment has been shown to be counterproductive in the rehabilitation and integration of prisoners," he noted.
The proposal was welcomed by Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento who said that prisoners who are not convicted yet has still the right to participate in any electoral exercise.
“Your Comelec is fully supportive to this proposition… dahil habang hindi pa nahahatulan, may karapatan pa rin silang bumoto," Sarmiento said.
For his part, Fr. Robert Reyes of the Asian Human Rights Commission echoed the Comelec official’s statement adding that it will benefit not only the prisoners but also the facility as well.
“Isipin niyo na lang kung pwede bumoto ang mga nasa kulungan… ang mga candidates for public offices ay mangangampanya sa loob ng kulungan at baka mag-establish pa ng mga proyekto para sa kanila doon sa loob," he said.- GMANews.TV
