3-day local absentee voting starts

Starting Sunday until Tuesday, police personnel, soldiers, media workers and government employees who may be on duty during the May 13 elections can cast their votes early through a local absentee voting. The Commission on Elections said the absentee voting will be held 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. until April 30, radio dzBB reported early Sunday. Local absentee voters can go to special voting centers at the Comelec in Manila, or to designated Comelec centers in the provinces where they are registered. However, Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. said this is only for those who registered for the privilege of voting early. Brillantes also reminded voters against casting their votes more than once, lest they be charged for election offenses and have their votes nullified. This will be the first time qualified media workers could vote in advance. Previously, only government employees such as teachers and police and military personnel assigned in places where they were not registered voters were allowed to engage in local absentee voting. — LBG, GMA News