691 centenarian voters found in Taguig list

At least 691 voters who are more than 100 years old, majority of them having the same birth dates, are still included in the 2007 voters’ list of Taguig, a former lawmaker bared on Tuesday. In an open letter to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), former Akbayan Rep. Loretta Rosales said of the 691 centenarian voters, 624 were born in 1901. Of this, 621 were born on January 1. “Since they are all registered in Taguig, would it have been possible that all 621 who were born on January 1, 1901 were all born in Taguig? Maybe not. But suppose they were, that would have been a nightmare celebrating New Year for all the hospitals and clinics of Taguig 108 years ago," she said. She said the figures came from an investigation by the Institute for Political and Electoral Reform (IPER), of which she is president. “We feel an immediate investigation must be made in order to correct the polluted list and to exact just punishment to those culpable of possible fraud," she said in the letter. Basing her figures on the 2007 Taguig Barangay Voters’ List, Rosales said a total of 633 registered citizens in the city are in their 90s. She also said residents aged 81 and 82 composed the biggest number of voters, with 178 and 172, respectively, while those in the 83 and 80 age division had only 19 voters each. She also revealed that 19 citizens were supposedly born and eventually end up registered each year from 1930 until 1959 - except 1931 and 1951 - in Taguig. Rosales, in an interview, said the Comelec’s “full action" is needed in this case. “We wish to bring to the attention of the Commission that what is taking place in Taguig is highly irregular and demands immediate and full action by the Commission. This is massive, they should do something drastic." “Glitch" Comelec Chairman Jose Melo downplayed the supposed irregularity as a simple computer “glitch," saying the similar birth dates was probably due to the failure of some registrants to put their birthdays on the registration form when they registered. “Glitch lang yun (That’s just a glitch), I’m not very sure, pero pinatitingnan na namin yan (but we are looking into it)," he said, adding that Rosales was not the first one to come to them about this concern. Rosales however was unconvinced, saying the involved names should not have been included in the list even if there was a glitch in the computer. “Is it not a fact that the birthday is crucial to determine whether or not one has reached the legal voting age of 18 in order to qualify as a registered voter? To allow 621 voters to enlist in the Taguig Voters’ List without completing their birthdays is the height of incompetence, undermining the integrity of the list and the sovereign voice of the legitimate voters of Taguig," she said. Melo said the only remedy for this would be the filing of exclusion proceedings by interested or concerned political parties and candidates. Based on data of the poll body’s Election Records and Statistics Department, Taguig registered 270, 691 qualified voters for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections held in 2007. Earlier, the Comelec issued Minute Resolution 09-0696, reinforcing Comelec Resolution 7893 that states only the most recent registration will be recognized in cases of double listing. The resolution addresses individual transfers where there are unscrupulous registrants who do not bother to say they have registered before. The Comelec will only be able to start finalizing its list of voters after the last day of registration, which will be on Wednesday, or a day after the extended registration period. - GMANews.TV