7,747 Laoag voters disenfranchised

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff reporter

LAOAG CITY—A total of 7, 747 old registered voters in Laoag will not be allowed to vote in the May elections for having no biometrics data.

Atty. Julius Harvey Balbas, Laoag City Comelec Election Officer confirmed that of the more than 73,000 registered voters here, at least 10 percent has been disenfranchised.

The newly-installed Laoag election officer said the significant number of disenfranchised old voters may probably affect the result of election for local candidates.

But as to the entire province of Ilocos Norte, Atty.  Marino V. Salas, Provincial Election Supervisor said the number of disenfranchised voters is minimal.

“We did our best. We visited schools and barangays and we wrote letters addressed to all concerned parties not only once but thrice but despite our efforts, we have to comply with our mandate,” Mr. Salas said.

Under Republic Act 10367, voters who fail to submit the biometrics data will be deactivated from the voters’ list.

This was recently ruled out by the Supreme Court, upholding the constitutionality of “no bio, no boto’ policy aimed at cleansing the voters’ list.