Voters will not be required to present proof that they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to vote on May 9, Bacolod Elections Officer Revo Sorbito said Thursday, March 31.
Voters won’t have to bring vaccination cards but temperature checks will be made, he said.
Those who have high temperatures will be allowed to vote in isolation areas set up in voting areas, he said.
Sorbito said they have not received a directive from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) head office on the creation of local task forces against vote buying yet.
But the Comelec in Bacolod is continuing to conduct its voters education campaign against vote buying, Sorbito said.
He has met with the candidates of two political groups in Bacolod to brief them on the campaign rules and to remind them that vote buying is a violation of the Omnibus Election Code, Sorbito said.
Anyone who has evidence of vote buying can report the matter and file a complaint, he said.
Comelec Commissioner Aimee Ferolino has been named chairperson of the “Task Force Kontra Bigay”, an inter-agency body that will tackle vote-buying complaints.
Aside from the Comelec, the task force is composed of the Department of Justice, Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Philippine Information Agency, National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines.*