ILOILO CITY—A total of 447 male inmates of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Ungka, Jaro district of this city, cast their votes during the synchronized national and local elections on Monday.
As they joined millions of Filipinos in selecting the would-be leaders in the next six years, they could not help, but hope that the next administration will look into their plight as well.
Romeo (not his real name) is now 63 years old. He hoped the next administration will grant freedom to senior citizens who are languishing in jail.
Another inmate, 28-year-old Nilo (not his real name), wished the next administration would look into drug problems. He said 80 percent of the inmate population of the BJMP are facing drug-related cases.
A 34-year-old inmate said he voted for Manuel A. Roxas II because he believes that he would continue the daang matuwid (straight path) of President Aquino.
The voting process went smoothly, although some inmates were not able to follow the instructions they were told to do during a briefing conducted by the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting.
Detainees were allowed to vote only for the national candidates, but some shaded the portion for local candidates. These ballots will be sent to the central Commission on Elections (Comelec) for their votes to be canvassed.
The Comelec in Iloilo City has established an on-site polling center for the male and female dormitories of the BJMP that were manned by the special board of election inspectors.