Sen. Marcos: Comelec to probe ‘unusual’ hike in Makati City voters
Sen. Imee R. Marcos (Bibo Nueva España/Senate PRIB)
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Imee Marcos on Monday bared that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is gearing up to probe the “unusual” increase in Makati City’s voter registrants.
During the Senate’s plenary debates on the proposed 2025 funding of Comelec, Marcos said Makati City has 18,555 newly registered voters. It also logged 38,031 transferees from other cities and municipalities.
“So if you sum up the two — the new and the transferees — it would reach 56,686,” said Marcos, the Comelec’s budget sponsor.
To recall, 10 barangays in Makati were transferred to the jurisdiction of Taguig in view of a 2022 Supreme Court ruling.
At the end of Marcos’ explanations was graduating Sen. Nancy Binay, who happened to be gunning for a mayoral post in Makati.
“The 38,031, is that for districts 1 and 2? Based on the experience of the Comelec, could this number be unusual since 10 barangays were removed under the jurisdiction of Makati, and yet there were 38,031 transferees?” Binay asked in Filipino.
Marcos then admitted that the Comelec is well aware that the increase in Makati’s registrants is strange.
READ: Comelec: Taguig voter transferees want Makati benefits back
“Yes, the Comelec agrees that it was very unusual that 10 barangays were removed, and yet there were about 57,000 new voters,” she said in Filipino.
Binay then asked if Comelec intends to act on the unusual hike in Makati voters to ensure a clean and fair voter list for the 2025 polls.
According to Marcos, a case was already filed before the municipal trial court seeking the exclusion of new registrants and transferees.
She also said Comelec formed a task force that would look into the alleged increase in registrants in Makati City’s districts 1 and 2 to review the inclusion of barangay certification in order to register oneself as a voter.
“Because, strangely, almost all of them have barangay certifications suddenly. This may no longer be accepted the next time. It may no longer be considered proof of identity and it may be excluded in the future conduct of voter registration,” Marcos said in Filipino.
Apart from this, Comelec wants a law that will prohibit the use of barangay certificates issued by barangay captains, noting possible politics behind the issuance of such documents.
“This will also be referred to the Department of the Interior and Local Government for a fact-finding investigation as to the issuance of these certifications by barangay chairmans found by Election Registration Board not to be a true representative of the true residents of the names already put down as applicants,” Marcos said.
READ: 38 voters with 1 address? Over 3,000 registrants in Makati district flagged
