More than 4,000 PDLs cast their votes, says Comelec

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While their penalties prohibit them from exercising their civil and political rights, it will not take effect while the case is on appeal and there is no final judgment yet. Stock photo.

MANILA, Philippines — More than 4,000 persons deprived of liberty (PDL) from all penal institutions under the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) on Monday cast their votes for the 2025 midterm elections.

Most of the voters are from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) with 2,135 PDLs, followed by Davao Prison and Penal Farm with 924, and Leyte Regional Prison with 421.

In San Ramon Prison and Penal Farm in Zamboanga, there are 290 PDL voters while Iwahig Prison in Palawan has 140.

There are 123 voters at the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong, while 92 are from CIW in Mindanao. 

Commission on Election (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia and foreign observers visited the polling area inside Bilibid.

Elections inside the penal institutions were done manually. 

After the polling precincts close at 2 p.m., the ballots will be brought to the schools within Muntinlupa where the PDLs have registered.

PDLs under BuCor have been convicted by the lower court. However, while their penalties prohibit them from exercising their civil and political rights, it will not take effect while the case is on appeal and there is no final judgment yet.

“As long as there is no final judgment and their case is still under appeal, even if they were not granted bail—especially those in the Maximum Security Prison—the prohibition against exercising their civil and political rights has not yet taken effect,” Garcia said in Filipino.

Aside from PDLs from BuCor, detainees under the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) are also allowed to vote. /MR