Leyte town's list of voters questioned

Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!

Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.

Visit Suniway.ph to learn

PALOMPON, Leyte — With the 2025 elections fast approaching, the official list of registered voters of this town is being questioned for discrepancies, casting doubt on the integrity of the upcoming polls.

In a place where local political races are often tightly contested, the inclusion of over a thousand deceased individuals and the unexplained removal of legitimate voters have sparked concern among residents and candidates.

One of the most troubling issues is the 1,089 names belonging to deceased individuals still listed as active voters.

The matter has drawn criticism from several candidates, including mayoral hopeful Georgina Arevalo, who voiced concern over the credibility of the list of registered voters on Friday.

"This list is inaccurate, and that's a major concern for anyone hoping for a fair election," Arevalo said. "The inclusion of deceased voters creates a serious problem."

Arevalo also flagged the removal of active voters from the rolls, including individuals who had participated in recent elections.

"It doesn't make sense. People who have voted before are now being excluded, and it's causing a lot of confusion and frustration," she said.

Despite submitting documents from the Philippine Statistics Authority to support requests for the removal of deceased individuals, Arevalo claimed the voters list remains largely unchanged.

She and other residents said their efforts to update the records have met resistance or inaction.

Not just the dead

The issue extends beyond deceased voters. Several residents have found themselves inexplicably dropped from the list despite having voted in previous elections.

Among them is Merlyn Peñano, who was shocked to discover her name missing on the list.

"I've voted before, so I don't understand why my name isn't on the list now," she said.

"It's really worrying, and I don't know where to turn for answers," she added.

Meanwhile, Rosemarie Tuico reported that her father, who passed away earlier this year, remains on the voters list. She said she submitted an affidavit confirming his death to the local office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) but said no changes were made.

"It's frustrating. I submitted everything I was asked to, but nothing has changed," she said.

On April 10, 15 residents visited the Comelec office in Palompon seeking assistance to have deceased relatives removed and address the issue of missing names.

No officials, no progress

Efforts to address these concerns have been hindered by the unavailability of key Comelec officials.

Elvisa Tiu, Palompon's election officer, was reportedly in a meeting in Tacloban City at that time and unavailable for comment.

The head of the local registrar's office was also not present during the residents' visit. Arevalo voiced frustration over the delays.

"There's been a lot of waiting and not much action," she said. "It's hard to stay optimistic when the people who should be helping are not even available. The lack of response from the local Comelec office is making things worse."

Fears of fraud

Aside from the logistical issues, Arevalo also warned of the potential for voter fraud. She suspects that some individuals may be exploiting the system by voting multiple times under different names.

"We've already seen signs of people signing the voter list multiple times," she said. "That raises serious concerns about the integrity of the entire process."

Her legal counsel, Robie Quiño, confirmed that several affidavits have been filed to document and address these irregularities.

"We are taking all necessary steps to ensure the accuracy of the voter list and prevent fraud," Quiño said. "We are working with the appropriate authorities to investigate these issues thoroughly."

With the Election Registration Board hearing set for April 14, Arevalo is hoping for a breakthrough.

Arevalo believes the hearing will be a crucial opportunity to correct the voters list before election day.

Arevalo has also appealed to Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia to step in and ensure that the concerns of voters in Palompon are addressed.