Brillantes to voters: Blame yourself, Comelec if you still fail to register

Barely a week before the end of the voter's registration, the Commission on Elections chairman said he can only blame himself and the voters if they still fail to register for the 2013 midterm polls. "Kapag hindi kayo nakapag-register, siguro kasalanan niyo. At siguro kasalanan din namin. Kasi siguro hindi namin napaintindi sa inyo na hindi kami mag-e-extend," Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. told reporters during his visit at  a registration site in Quezon City on Friday. He said around 48 million nationwide have already registered as of Thursday. The poll body is expecting 49 to 50 million voters for the 2013 polls. Brillantes said the lines are long now at registration centers because many tend to register in the last days. "Our registration is a continuing process. Ibig sabihin, for the last two years, every working day walang pumupunta," the Comelec chair said. "Kakaunti na lang ang araw, saka sila magdadagsaan, pahihirapan na. Tapos hihingi sila ng extension. Para naman tayo naglolokohan," he added. He said Comelec personnel have other work to do. "Paumanhin po sa taumbayan na hindi makakarehistro, magsisihan na lang tayo pareho?" Brillantes said. Voter's registration will end on October 31. Over 56.2 million made up the projected voting population during the 2010 automated elections. Around 90 percent or 50.7 million voted. — LBG, GMA News