MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday called on overseas Filipino workers (OFW)to re-register in order to vote in the 2022 Presidential elections.

The DFA made the call following information from its overseas voting secretariat that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it deactivated a total of 578,185 overseas voters for failing to participate in the last national and local elections in 2016 and 2019.

The DFA said deactivated overseas voters may re-register when registration opens from December 16, 2019 to September 30, 2021 at the following areas:

• Any Philippine Embassy, Consulate General, Mission, or Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO)

The DFA said that all Filipino citizens who expect to be abroad from April 9 to May 9, 2022 during the overseas voting period for the 2022 Presidential Elections, and are at least 18 years old on May 9, 2022 and not otherwise disqualified by law, may register as an overseas voter at the said locations.

OFWs, as well as immigrants, seafarers and students who are about to leave for abroad and are not yet registered as overseas voters may also register on the said dates.

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday said it is not surprised by the move of the House of Representatives to approve the bill seeking to defer the 2020 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections to December 5, 2022.

“This does not come as a surprise,” Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez said in a message to reporters. “The COMELEC had, in fact, slowed down preparations for the Barangay Elections of 2020 in anticipation of this legislation.”

Jimenez said that with the impending approval of Congress on the measure, the poll body is now looking to focus on preparing for the next national and local elections.

“With the approval of the House and the looming decision of the Senate on the same matter, the COMELEC is looking forward to focusing on the process of re-starting the continuing registration and, in the longer term, preparing for the 2022 National and Local Elections,” he said.

Earlier in the day, the Lower House gave its nod to a proposal seeking to reschedule the local polls to allow more time for incumbent Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials to implement and complete their respective projects.

After the 2022 elections, subsequent barangay and SK elections will be held on the first Monday of December 2025 and every three years thereafter.

The amended version of the House bill is similar to the one that Senate passed on September 30.

President Rodrigo Duterte, during his fourth State of the Nation Address in July, called on Congress to postpone the village elections.

MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to stop its investigation on Clarin-Misamis Occidental Mayor David Navarro’s slay case.

Navarro was ambushed by armed men on his way to Cebu City Prosecutor’s office on board a police patrol car on October 25 for inquest proceedings on charges of alleged sexual assault.

He was on Duterte’s drug watchlist of narco-politicians.

The President said he wanted an impartial investigation that is why he ordered the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to handle the case instead.

Navarro was under police custody when the crime happened.

“Mas gusto ko ang NBI na lang…kasi noong nangyari iyan, kasama ang pulis (I prefer that the NBI [conduct the investigation] because when the incident happened, the police were there),” Duterte said.

“To make it really fair, I’d like to order the police to terminate their investigations and hand it to the NBI whatever documents and all proof or evidence that they have in their hands,” he added.

The Chief Executive said he had a conversation with Navarro several weeks before the ambush where the local official admitted to receiving death threats.

The PNP, for its part, assured that it is ready to heed the President’s order while the Department of Justice (DOJ) welcomes the President’s decision.

“Given the circumstances surrounding the killing of Clarin Mayor Navarro, the President’s directive for the NBI to take over the investigation of the incident should quell any doubts regarding this government’s commitment to solve the case and bring to account those responsible,” concluded DOJ Spokesperson Mark Perete. – MNP (with details from Rosalie Coz)