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With election day just around the corner, many of the country͛s police forces are gearing up for their
field assignments come May 10. Since suffrage is a right given to all citizens, it is only proper that they
be given the right to participate, despite the nature of their work. That is why the Commission on
Elections (COMELEC) has, for the past election years, granted the privilege of absentee voting for the
fielded police officers.

Absentee voting, according to Executive Order (EO) No. 157, is when officers and employees of
government are given the opportunity to exercise their right to vote away from their area of registration
due to official functions or duties on the election day. This year, it will take place whole day of April 28.
Around 1,800 qualified Philippine National Police (PNP) officers are expected to partake from all parts of
the nation.

͞Ever since we have always been considered as absentee voters, especially due to the nature of our
work. We are always on red alert. We vote wherever we are assigned,͟ stated SPO4 Quirico Cargullo,
head of PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

Automation will not be experienced by the absentee voters, however. Although this is the first year that
electronic voting will be applied in the country, our police forces will still be using the manual process in
casting votes.

With around 130,000 PNP officers, less than two percent met these requirements. Many want to vote,
but only a few were qualified due to official restrictions.

Said PNP Spokesperson General Leonardo Espina, ͞There are certain requirements that have to be met.
You have to be a registered voter and the master list is with the COMELEC. You should have at least
voted in the past two elections.͟

While the practice of absentee voting is seen as an advantage by many, there are some police officers
who do not see it as worth the effort. According to one PNP officer, he has never registered to vote
because he has no faith in the political system.

Cargullo adds, ͞If I͛m not mistaken, 
 —amos. 
succeeding presidents wala na kong 

.͟
(If I͛m not mistaken, I think it was —amos. I lost interest with the succeeding presidents.)

The process by which the absentee voting is to take place is also a concern for some police officials. Due
to bad experiences in the past, they no longer have the enthusiasm to vote. But if given proper
guidelines, they will be more willing to take part.

Espina still emphasized, however, that although absentee voting is only different from regular voting in
terms of scheduling and venue, it is still a privilege for those who will be rendering their duty on the
official election date.