Deposed Philippine president Joseph Estrada sought permission Wednesday for a day release from jail to vote in next week's congressional elections.
Estrada sought permission for himself and his son and fellow detainee, San Juan mayor Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, to vote at the precincts where they are registered voters in Monday's poll.
Father and son were arrested on April 25 on the charge of economic plunder, a non-bailable capital offence. They are being held in remand at a police training camp south of Manila.
Elmer Cayanan, a lawyer with the Commission on Elections (Comelec), told reporters that “a man cannot be deprived of his right to suffrage” as long as he has not been convicted.
“Even ordinary people who are incarcerated but not convicted could exercise their right to vote,” Cayanan said.
But security is a consideration. “If he is brought to the polling precinct, it would require close coordination with the security group because he could be mobbed by his supporters.”
Four people were killed and more than 100 wounded in clashes between security forces and thousands of Estrada's supporters who tried to storm the presidential palace on May 1.
Some 16,000 policemen will be deployed in and around Manila for the elections.
General Edgardo Aglipay, Philippine National Police director for operations, said this number was “much bigger” than the contingent deployed to quell the palace attack.
Fraud and violence have often marred elections in the Philippines.
Since the campaign began in March, 42 people have died -- mostly candidates for local posts and their supporters -- and 50 have been injured in 45 election-related violent incidents across the nation.
Police chief General Leandro Mendoza said the authorities were closely monitoring 99 armed groups, mostly in the southern provinces of Mindanao island – MANILA (Reuters)
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