Senator Nancy Binay called for full accountability from barangay officials allegedly abusing the issuance of barangay residence certificates for voter registration and transfer, describing the practice as highly irregular and suspicious.
A Supreme Court ruling allows the use of barangay certifications as proof of residency in the absence of a valid government ID. However, a recent Commission on Elections (Comelec) report revealed that some transferees and registrants provided non-existent, uninhabited, or unfit addresses in Makati, raising red flags.
“Upon checking, these registrants failed to meet residency requirements as they are not actual residents of the district,” Binay said, emphasizing the need for thorough investigations into barangay officials issuing certificates without proper verification.
During the Senate budget deliberations, Comelec confirmed a significant and unusual increase in voter transfers in Makati.
Data showed 38,031 voter transfers from other cities and municipalities were recorded, alongside 18,555 new registrants, bringing the total to 56,586 voters. This increase comes despite Makati losing 10 barangays due to the Supreme Court ruling on territorial jurisdiction favoring Taguig.
“The data for Makati is clear,” Senator Imee Marcos said. “It’s unusual to see a 55% rise in the second district and a 15% increase in the first district, far from the normal 5% growth rate.”
Comelec Chairman George Garcia assured senators that the en banc will review the findings of the Election Registration Board (ERB) and a special task force investigating the matter. Criminal charges may be filed against barangay officials proven to have facilitated irregular voter registrations in violation of election laws.
Binay urged Comelec to act swiftly, saying, “These irregularities undermine public trust in the electoral process and must be addressed immediately.”
