Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 1) – Authorities arrested a male voter in Naval, Biliran for taking a photo of his official ballot – an election offense – inside his voting precinct.
“Bale si Alias Jun-jun, nakikita sa kanya na kumuha siya ng picture, may poll watchers tayo doon na nakakita, then ni-report siya doon sa mga teachers na nagse-serve sa voting center na ‘yun,” PMaj Chamberline Ludevise of the Naval Municipal Police Station said in a Facebook video released by Naval PNP on Wednesday.
[Translation: Alias Jun-jun, he was seen taking a picture of his official ballot, our poll watchers were there, they reported it to the teachers who are serving the voting center.]
The report stated that Jun-jun was taken on Monday by the NMPS for violating the Commissions on Elections (Comelec) Resolution 10924 Sec. 427.
The resolution prohibits the “use of carbon paper, paraffin paper or other means of making a copy of the contents of the ballot, or otherwise make use of any scheme to identify the vote, including the use of digital cameras, cellular phones, or similar gadgets; and disrupt or attempt to disrupt the proceedings of the EB.”
“With regards kung dinissimenate ba ‘yung pictures na nakuha niya, as per interview, ang sabi niya initusan siya ng asawa niya…Wala siyang sinabi na ipo-post niya sa social media, ‘yun lang daw talaga ang intention niya,” Ludevise added.
[Translation: With regard to if he disseminated the pictures taken, as per interview, he only said that his wife asked him to take it. He didn’ t say that he will post it on social media, he said that was his only intention.]
The police said his case was referred to the prosecutor’s office, where he will have a chance to prove that he did not violate the law.
Further investigation is being conducted, authorities said.
