60 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the Puerto Princesa City Jail cast their votes on Monday, reminding the public that the right to suffrage, while often taken for granted, can persist even behind prison walls.
The voting was held within the jail facility itself, under the supervision of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP). According to local jail authorities, the PDLs voted through special electoral procedures, following legal guidelines that allow detainees not yet convicted with finality to take part in national and local polls.
The Commission on Elections has long included PDLs in its outreach, citing Republic Act No. 10575 or the Bureau of Corrections Act of 2013 and existing Supreme Court rulings that affirm the voting rights of detainees who are awaiting the resolution of their cases. However, logistical challenges and administrative barriers often make it difficult to execute.
At the Puerto Princesa City Jail, those challenges were addressed through months of coordination. A satellite election precinct was established inside the compound, complete with voting materials and security protocols to ensure order.
The list of registered PDL voters was submitted earlier this year, and the BJMP confirmed that only those with no final conviction were allowed to participate.
As of this writing, Puerto Princesa remains among the few localities in the Philippines with a functional PDL voting system, a testament to the city’s commitment to inclusive democracy.
COMELEC has yet to release the total number of PDLs who participated nationwide, but emphasized that facilities like Puerto Princesa demonstrate the potential of the electoral system to reach even the most overlooked citizens.
