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Editorial
Ghost buster
Aug 31, 2010
LONG GIVEN their funeral rites, the dead still enjoy their right of suffrage. That is to take the 81 deceased whose names still appear in the voters’ list of Barangay Balibago in Angeles City.
“We are surprised that those who failed to vote in the last two consecutive elections have been deactivated from the list but those who are long dead still appear in the list.” So disclosed Balibago chief Rodelio “Tony” Mamac, a retired bemedalled police officer expected to seek – and win – a second term this October.
This, Mamac said, has spurred his barangay to join hands with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the local civil registrar to cleanse the voters list to ensure “fair, honest, and transparent barangay elections.”
Mamac has bewailed the “proliferation flying voters” during the registration period even as he is set to file Tuesday a petition for exclusion of 540 voters “on the grounds that they are ‘flying’ or ‘ghost’ voters.”
The questioned 540 voters “when visited and inspected from their addresses by herein petitioners (Mamac and Barangay Secretary Emmanuel Lor) and by the purok leaders and barangay staff are not actual residents of Barangay Balibago where they are presently registered as voters.”
Citing Sarangani vs. Comelec (GR No. 135927, June 26, 2000) the petition said “the exclusion of fictitious and non-existent voters protects the validity and credibility of the electoral process as well as the right of suffrage because the ‘electoral will’ would not be rendered nugatory by the inclusion of ‘ghost voters.’”
From crime fighter to ghost buster, Mamac has gone full circle.
“We are surprised that those who failed to vote in the last two consecutive elections have been deactivated from the list but those who are long dead still appear in the list.” So disclosed Balibago chief Rodelio “Tony” Mamac, a retired bemedalled police officer expected to seek – and win – a second term this October.
This, Mamac said, has spurred his barangay to join hands with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the local civil registrar to cleanse the voters list to ensure “fair, honest, and transparent barangay elections.”
Mamac has bewailed the “proliferation flying voters” during the registration period even as he is set to file Tuesday a petition for exclusion of 540 voters “on the grounds that they are ‘flying’ or ‘ghost’ voters.”
The questioned 540 voters “when visited and inspected from their addresses by herein petitioners (Mamac and Barangay Secretary Emmanuel Lor) and by the purok leaders and barangay staff are not actual residents of Barangay Balibago where they are presently registered as voters.”
Citing Sarangani vs. Comelec (GR No. 135927, June 26, 2000) the petition said “the exclusion of fictitious and non-existent voters protects the validity and credibility of the electoral process as well as the right of suffrage because the ‘electoral will’ would not be rendered nugatory by the inclusion of ‘ghost voters.’”
From crime fighter to ghost buster, Mamac has gone full circle.
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- Lapid’s day in court
- Unclean, ungreen
- Unimpressive
- Quarry arithmetic
- What’s love got to do with it?
- A tale of 2 hospitals
- Dump ‘em truckers
- Give it to Chichos
- Faith in Clark
- Nanay and Oca
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