Politics · Philippines Bureau
Comelec rejects barangay certificates, cedulas as valid voter ID
The Commission on Elections has declared that barangay residency certificates and cedulas will not be accepted as proof of identity during voter registration. The decision comes after poll officials discovered instances of fraudulent document issuance by local officials.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will no longer recognize barangay certificates of residency and cedulas as valid identification documents for voter registration purposes, the poll body announced Thursday.
Comelec Chair George Erwin Garcia disclosed that the decision stems from irregularities discovered during recent investigations. Officials found that barangay administrators had issued residency certificates to individuals ineligible for registration, undermining the integrity of the voter rolls.
"We have documented cases where these documents were issued without proper verification of the applicants' qualifications," Garcia said during a media interview. The move aims to strengthen authentication procedures and prevent fraudulent voter registrations that could compromise electoral credibility.
Voters seeking to register will now need to present other accepted forms of identification, which the Comelec will specify in upcoming guidelines. The agency is expected to release a comprehensive list of approved documents in the coming weeks to ensure compliance across the country.
The Comelec emphasized that the measure is part of broader efforts to enhance election security and maintain the accuracy of the national voter registry ahead of upcoming electoral exercises.