MANILA – Senators have opposed the possible adaptation of mail-in voting for the upcoming 2022 national elections with the country still battling the current health crisis.
Opposition senator Franklin Drilon said the country is not yet ready to have a voting by mail system as “rampant vote buying and intimidation” are still observed in the country’s present electoral system.
“I am opposed to it at this time. We can look at it again in the future and see whether our system is already sufficient in terms of protecting the sanctity of the ballots,” the Ilonggo senator said.
“The current system simply does not permit voting by mail as a process that will accurately reflect the will of the people,” he added. “You can imagine the kinds of complaints we will get in voting by mail where it is difficult to monitor.”
Senate President Vicente Sotto III, for his part, said he is not in favor of the scheme as this would be vulnerable to “cheating.”
“Sino tatanggap? Nationwide? Saan padadala, [sa] Post Office? Kailan bibilangin? Sino bibilang?” Sotto pressed. “Paano kung may mag-leak ng results whether true or fake? Any of those procedures can be cheated.”
Sen. Imee Marcos recently proposed a measure creating a postal voting system only for voters who are senior citizens, pregnant women, persons with disabilities, or members of indigenous groups.
Marcos noted that while it is not locally being practiced, postal voting is “not a completely alien notion” under the country’s laws as it is being done by overseas Filipino workers./PN
