MikeLigalig.com

By Jelly Musico

The Senate approved Monday on third and final reading Senate Bill 1198 allowing members of the media to vote earlier than other regular voters in the mid-term 2013 national and local elections.

Authored by Sen. Manny Villar, the proposed Senate bill allows “only duly registered media members” to vote before the election day.”

”Media members must also be accredited by Comelec as recommended by the media outfit to which they belong and may only vote on the days fixed by the Comelec in the city or municipality where their media outfit has established as its main or satellite office,” Villar explained in the bill.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile lauded the passage of the bill which gives media the same privilege granted to the members of the Armed Forces, the Philippine National Police and other government officials and employees who have to report for duty during election day, as provided under Republic Act 7166 on local absentee voting.

“If there is one sector of our free society whose eye witness reportage on the conduct of our electoral process is vital and indispensable, it is none other than the mass media of our country,” Sen. Koko Pimentel, chairman of the Committee on Electoral Reforms and sponsor of the bill, said.

“This bill would allow media practitioners to vote on specified days earlier than election day so that even if on election day, they are assigned to cover election events away from their place of registration as voters, they would nonetheless have the opportunity to cast their votes,” Pimentel added.

Last month, the Commission on Elections approved a petition filed by media personalities allowing media members to vote before election day.

Pimentel explained that media members are limited to vote for the President, Vice-President, senators and party-list representatives.

“The limitation is purposely made to make it jibe with the limitations set forth in Executive Order No. 157, as amended, that grants the same privilege to other groups of people to vote earlier than on election day and to minimize confusion among voters concerned and the implementation of the bill once it becomes law,” Pimentel explained.

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