QUEZON CITY, (PIA) –A total of 62 Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) from the Caloocan City Jail casted their votes for the first time in the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), by virtue of a Supreme Court decision last year.
The SC decision lifted the temporary restraining order against Resolution 9731 of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), which provided the qualifications of PDLs entitled to vote such as those serving a sentence of less than one year, those formally charged who are awaiting trial or during the pendency of their trial, and those whose conviction for a crime against national security or against the duly constituted government is on appeal.
City Mayor Dale Gonzalo “Along” Malapitan welcomed this development as a manifestation of the city’s commitment in upholding justice and applauded both the PDLs and the jail administration for ensuring the peaceful and orderly conduct of the BSKE.
“Maraming salamat po sa pamunuan ng Caloocan City Jail, at siyempre lalo na sa mga PDL nating nakilahok sa halalan ngayong taon para sa isang maayos at ligtas na eleksyon,” he said.
“Ang maayos na pagsali ng mga PDL sa pagpili ng mga bagong lider ay isang pagpapatunay po sa pagpapahalagang ibinibigay ng Lungsod ng Caloocan sa hustisya at karapatang pantao. Mananatili po ang pagsisikap natin na gawing ligtas ang ating lungsod habang sinisiguro rin na ginagawa rin natin ang lahat ng hakbang sa pagbabagong-buhay ng ating mga PDL,” Mayor Along added.
City Jail Warden Jerome Daniel also assured the public that jail officials have ample preparation in conducting the said elections and a stringent check of qualifications was done to ensure that only entitled PDLs will be able to vote.
“Lahat po ng mga opisyal ng city jail ay nagtulong-tulong upang siguraduhin ang kaligtasan ng mga PDL, at ganun na rin po sa pag-tiyak na tama ang kanilang qualifications bago maka-boto,” JSupt. Daniel said. ( pio caloocan/pia-ncr)
