Bicam OKs mandatory biometrics registration

The joint panel of the Senate and House of Representatives has approved the proposed legislation requiring qualified voters to undergo biometrics registration— a move aimed at reducing, if not eliminating, irregularities during elections. "Ang pinag-usapan namin ngayon 'yung new [proposed] law for mandatory biometrics registration and na-approve na po ngayon sa bicameral conference," Sen. Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III, chair of the Senate electoral reforms committee, told reporters Thursday. Pimentel said he will move for the measure's ratification next week and "[h]opefully within the year it will be signed into law." Senate Bill 1030, authored by Sen. Lito Lapid, requires all registered voters whose biometrics have not been captured to appear before election officers and have their photographs, fingerprints, signatures and other identifiable features be captured through biometrics.   Under the measure, the photographs, fingerprints, signature and other identifiable features will be stored by the data capturing machine of the automated election system that has been adopted by the Commission on Elections (Comelec). However, a provision in the bill — the one that states voters "who failed to submit for validation on or before the last day of filing of application for registration for purposes of the 2013 national and local elections, despite due notice, shall be deactivated from the registration record of the voters by the Election Registration Board" — was removed, Pimentel said. Pimentel said they removed this provision to make it clear that this measure is meant in preparation for the 2016 elections. "Ganito pa kaaga we are already preparing for the 2016 elections [para] malinis ang ating voters' registration list," he said. "Ayaw na natin bulabugin ang preparations ng Comelec for the 2013,” he added. “Itong bagong batas na ito ay gawin na nating effective sa 2016." Pimentel said 8 to 9 million registered voters will be affected by the measure. "By 2016 'yung hindi pa magpapa-biometrics measurement sa Comelec ay hindi na makakaboto by 2016 kahit na registered siya." He said the law is meant for voters who, for one reason or another, have yet to register through biometrics despite Comelec's repeated appeal. "Matagal na po itong panawagan ng Comelec na magparehistro na sila using biometrics, hindi pa sila kumikilos. Itong batas na ito sa tingin namin ang magpapakilos sa kanila," Pimentel said. Without elaborating, he said they have a remedy under the measure for those who will not be able to vote in 2016 due to failure to register using biometrics. "Pero ang remedy binuksan namin after the 2016 elections so talagang yun ang kanyang penalty kung ayaw niya magpakuha ng biometrics hindi siya makakaboto sa 2016 elections," Pimentel said. — Kimberly Jane Tan/KBK, GMA News