By: JOSEPHINE MENDOZA
Branch 32 of the Regional Trial Court, 8th Judicial Region ordered for the exclusion of over 600 voters from the official master list of registered voters for the Municipality of Sta. Margarita, Samar.
This, after a Decision was rendered by the Acting Presiding Judge on the Petition for exclusion of more than 1,600 voters from some out of 36 barangays of the municipality.
“The 600 voters excluded by the RTC cannot cast their votes in the May 12, 2025 elections,” COMELEC Election Officer Lean N. Salceda said in an interview.
“COMELEC adheres to the Orders of the Court. Whatever the Court Decides and Orders, the COMELEC cannot do anything about it,” Salceda explained and further said that “voters excluded from the masterlist will have to register again in order to be able to vote in the next elections.”
Reliable sources say that there are voters who should have not been “excluded” for reasons that Petitions for exclusion against them have already been withdrawn at the MCTC level.
Voters who are petitioned for exclusion are voters that have been approved by COMELEC having satisfied the requirements of a voter-applicant. In the event that a petition for their exclusion arises in the Courts, these voters will have to comply with the requirements of the Court hearing the Petition.
“Voters excluded by the RTC may have failed to satisfy or complied with the requirements or they were not present during the proceedings or no substantial proof of residency may have been presented to convince the Court,” Salceda said.
Sta. Margarita has 24, 881 registered voters expected to be at the voting precincts, tomorrow, May 12, 2025.
It can be recalled that the municipality is placed under the “red” category as it was seen with the highest risk due to elevated threats from armed groups prompting the government to deploy additional forces from the PNP and the Philippine Army to ensure peaceful and orderly elections keeping the residents secured and safe.(CJ/JMM)
- Calbayog Journal, May 11, 2025
Branch 32 of the Regional Trial Court, 8th Judicial Region ordered for the exclusion of over 600 voters from the official master list of registered voters for the Municipality of Sta. Margarita, Samar.
This, after a Decision was rendered by the Acting Presiding Judge on the Petition for exclusion of more than 1,600 voters from some out of 36 barangays of the municipality.
“The 600 voters excluded by the RTC cannot cast their votes in the May 12, 2025 elections,” COMELEC Election Officer Lean N. Salceda said in an interview.
“COMELEC adheres to the Orders of the Court. Whatever the Court Decides and Orders, the COMELEC cannot do anything about it,” Salceda explained and further said that “voters excluded from the masterlist will have to register again in order to be able to vote in the next elections.”
Reliable sources say that there are voters who should have not been “excluded” for reasons that Petitions for exclusion against them have already been withdrawn at the MCTC level.
Voters who are petitioned for exclusion are voters that have been approved by COMELEC having satisfied the requirements of a voter-applicant. In the event that a petition for their exclusion arises in the Courts, these voters will have to comply with the requirements of the Court hearing the Petition.
“Voters excluded by the RTC may have failed to satisfy or complied with the requirements or they were not present during the proceedings or no substantial proof of residency may have been presented to convince the Court,” Salceda said.
Sta. Margarita has 24, 881 registered voters expected to be at the voting precincts, tomorrow, May 12, 2025.
It can be recalled that the municipality is placed under the “red” category as it was seen with the highest risk due to elevated threats from armed groups prompting the government to deploy additional forces from the PNP and the Philippine Army to ensure peaceful and orderly elections keeping the residents secured and safe.(CJ/JMM)
- Calbayog Journal, May 11, 2025
