PPRCV alarmed over Comelec's last minute changes, unclear poll guidelines

ABS-CBN News

Posted at 03 May 2016 08:58 PM

The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) expressed concern Tuesday on last minute changes done by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

Anne de Villa Singson, communications director of the PPCRV, said this has created confusion among voters, as well as those serving during the polls.

“There were major changes in the voting process conducted barely one month away from the elections, up until April 26, just 12 days before the elections, Comelec was passing multiple resolutions for general instructions for the upcoming elections,” she said.

“This can lead to overlapping communications, confusion in the field, difficulty in equipping our [Board of Election Inspectors] BEI’s, even our poll watchers, we wonder if we’re able to train them properly.”

The group also expressed concern over the vote-buying, which they said continues to be prevalent and is getting more creative.

“In Zamboanga, there’s a very amusing report because you would think that we know about vote-buying already down path but there I guess vote buying gets creative, more creative every election season, there are documents that say that there is a group that pays 6,000 [pesos] not for a one-time vote but they give you a 6,000 monthly stipend to vote for a certain candidate and political party,” she said.



-ANC's Dateline Philippines, May 3, 2016