The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday warned qualified voters not to register more than once or face 1 to 3 years of imprisonment.
Comelec chair George Garcia issued the statement as listing for new voter registration will start on Monday, Feb. 12 until Sept. 30, 2024 in preparation for the 2025 National and Local elections.
Garcia warned unscrupulous persons who may try to exploit the voter registration, saying double registrants can be easily monitored because the Comelec is using advance and modern machines
“We have AFIS, that’s the Automated Fingerprint Identification System that we countercheck if a voter has been registered before or is a multiple registrant… we will delete the registration, and at the same time can face an election offense case.,” he added.
The poll body is also set to implement nationwide its Register Anywhere Program (RAP) when the voter registration period resumes on Feb. 12.
Under the RAP, a registrant will be allowed to file his/her application wherever there is a designated RAP registration site regardless of his/her place of residence.
Other applications that will be accepted in RAP sites include new registration, transfer of registration from another city/municipality/district, transfer of registration from overseas to local, correction of entries or change of status, and reactivation.
RAP registration sites will be set up in malls, universities, or government offices/agencies in all capital cities and towns and Highly Urbanized Cities nationwide.