BJMP holds simulation for voting of inmates

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) over the weekend conducted a simulation of the voting procedures for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) ahead of the national polls scheduled on Monday.

According to the BJMP, there are some 33,000 inmates who will be allowed to cast their votes on Monday, May 9, including those who will vote inside the BJMP facilities and others who will be escorted to polling precincts.

Jails with less than 50 voters will have the inmates escorted to their polling precincts outside the facility, while those with over 50 will conduct the elections inside the facility.

Inmates qualified for in-facility voting will have their temperature taken and will be screened for any symptoms of COVID-19. Those who exhibit symptoms will be taken to a separate center where they can vote in isolation.

Those without any symptoms will be allowed to vote in a public voting room, with up to 10 inmates voting at the same time.

“Ayaw din natin na magiging superspreader event ‘yung gagawin na halalan bukas, so ino-observe natin ‘yung mga protocols,” BJMP Chief J/Dir. Allan Iral said in a report on GMA’s “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday.

(We do not want tomorrow’s election to become a superspreader event so we are observing the protocols.)

PDLs will be able to cast their votes from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., but their votes will be placed in a manual ballot box which will be forwarded to an official of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) escorted by BJMP personnel.

“Walang VCM (vote counting machine) dito sa jail. Dadalhin po ‘yan outside, inescortan rin po ‘yan ng mga BJMP personnel ‘yung pagpunta dito ng Comelec personnel, pag-alis naka-escort.

(We do not have VCMs here in the jail. The ballots will be brought outside. The Comelec personnel will be escorted going to and coming from BJMP facilities.) — Jon Viktor Cabuenas/DVM, GMA News