INMATES' VOTE. A total of 56 persons deprived of liberty (PDL) from the two district jail facilities of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Baguio City were allowed to vote in the mid-term polls. Photo shows male inmates voting in one of the polling centers in Baguio. (Photo courtesy of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology)
BAGUIO CITY -- A total of 56 persons deprived of liberty (PDL) from the two district jail facilities in this city were escorted to 17 polling centers so they could exercise their Constitutional right to vote in Monday’s mid-term elections.
"Our PDLs still have their right to vote despite their situation," Baguio City Jail warden, Chief Insp. Crispin Dornagon, said.
The 56 PDLs -- 52 from the Baguio City Male Dorm and four from the Baguio City Female Dorm (BCFD) – were in their orange inmate uniform when they went to the voting centers, accompanied by personnel of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).
Dornagon said they had earlier requested the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to set up a polling station inside the jail, but this was not granted.
He said the court order allowing the PDLs to vote was issued by Judge Mia Joy Oallares-Cawed last Friday.
"Our PDLs (would) not be allowed to vote if there (is) no existing court order," Dornagon said, noting that the BJMP strictly implemented their standard operating procedures (SOP) in carrying out the order.
Meanwhile, Jail Senior Insp. April Rose Ayangwa told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that 10 PDLs from the BCFD were supposed to vote, but only four actually did.
Ayangwa said the six others opted not to vote due to the requirement that they have to be in their inmate uniform, for security reasons, aside from having jail guards escorting them.
"Some of our PDLs were embarrassed to cast their votes since we are strictly implementing our SOP. They need to wear their uniforms and their escorts were really in full uniform," she said. (PNA)
