Comelec strikes out 120,000 from OAV list

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 123,220 names have been removed from the Philippine overseas absentee voters (OAV) list for not participating in the last two national elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Thursday. Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer said the delisted overseas Filipinos failed to vote during the 2004 and 2007 national elections. Delisted voters can reinstate their names by presenting themselves to elections officers in charge of OAV registration. “They just present evidence of their identity and they will be allowed to vote but that is subject for validation," Ferrer said, adding that one proof would their passport. Ferrer said during the signing of a memorandum of agreement on OAV registration at the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA). In the OAV list for 2007, there were a total of 504,110 registered voters. Records of the OAV Secretariat of the Comelec and Department of Foreign Affairs showed, however, that less than 60,000 voted in voting centers worldwide although the exercise was held in two months. Still, Ferrer said the Comelec is targeting at least a million overseas Filipinos who will register for the OAV in the ongoing registration. Since the registration started Feb. 1, a total of only 2,045 has listed up, said Rafael E. Seguis, foreign affairs undersecretary for special concerns. Ferrer, however, said he is confident that the one million target could be reached by the time the registration period ends on August 31 because “people are much interested" in the 2010 polls. Officials said the turnout in the 2007 elections was not as encouraging because overseas voters could vote only for senators. In the 2004 elections, those at stake for OAV participants were the presidency, vice presidency and 12 seats in the Senate. Asked what problems the commission expects to be encountered in the OAV registration, Ferrer said the 3-year requirement to return to the country is the main problem that will persist. He said the Comelec has asked Congress to either extend the 3-year requirement to seven years or to totally remove it. “There is a pending request by us for the removal of this requirement and the Senate is sympathetic," added Ferrer. - GMANews.TV