Kabataan Partylist Rep. Raymond “Mong” Palatino today demanded an explanation from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) after receiving complaints that names of first-time-voters who registered during the voter registration extension period are not included in the official list of voters for the May polls.

Palatino said that they have so far received reports from Quezon City.  Complainants were alarmed when they found out that they are not included in the official list because they are considered “supplement voters.”

“Does this mean that they are not ensured of their right to vote on May 10? The Comelec has some explaining to do,” he said.

He added that complainants also lamented that after inquiring their precinct numbers at the local Comelec office, they were told to “just come to polling centers after 6:00 on Election Day.”

“Makakaboto lang daw sila kapag may sobrang balota. That is absurd. Para ba silang ‘least priority’ when they have every right to vote,” Palatino said.

Palatino said that the Comelec should immediately address the matter as around 200,000-300,000 first-time-voters are in danger of disenfranchisement.

“We cannot and must now allow this and must do all preventive measures to grant our young voters their right of suffrage,” he said.

Palatino asked the Comelec to “immediately publicly release a full and official list of voters in every city nationwide so that voters can confirm if their names have been included”.

He also urged first-time-voters, especially those who registered during the extension period, to troop to Comelec offices in their respective areas to verify possible discrepancies. “They can report to us through our hotline, 352-1054, of any complaints.”

Last December, the Supreme Court in a unanimous decision granted Kabataan Partylist’s petition to extend voter registration period after the Comelec arbitrarily shortened it. The Constitution mandates that continuing registration must be held up to January 9, 2010 in accordance with the Voter’s Registration Act.

According to Comelec data, around 250,000 first-time-voters availed of the voter registration extension. ###