Good day to all! I am Atty. Anthony Clark A. Gapido currently I am a private practitioner.

Today let me discuss

about poll watchers

Who are the poll watchers

Who can appoint them?
What are their rights, duties and function

These are the questions we will discuss today.

BANTAY BOTO:
Mga Poll Watchers

WHO CAN APPOINT?

Sino ba pwede mag appoint ng poll watchers sa polling places?

1. Candidates
2. Political Parties
Duly registered political parties and coalition accredited
3. Party-List Groups
Accredited party-list Groups
4. Duly accredited citizens’ arms
Certified citizens arms
5. Other COMELEC-authorized groups
And other civic, religious, business, professional service, youth and other similar organization
with prior authority from the COMELEC can appoint.

WHO CAN BE APPOINTED?

Pwede ka ba ma appoint? Depende. Kailangan ikaw registered voter sa bayan or lungsod.
Of good moral character
Not convicted of final judgment of any election offense or any other crime.
Dapat marunong magsulat at magbasa
And not be related within the 4th degree of consanguinity of affinity to any member of the electoral
board in the polling place where he or she seeks appointment as a watcher.

1. Registered voter
2. Of good moral character
3. No Election Offense
4. Literate
5. Not related to Electoral Board

WHAT ARE THE FUNCTIONS?

1. Observe Electoral Board
2. Take notes, pictures and videos
3. File Protests
4. Raise challengers against voters
5. Get copies of Election Returns

Ano naman ang trabaho ng mga Banatay Boto or pollwatchers?

1. A pollwatcher is at the polling place to observe the proceedings of the electoral board.
2. To take notes, pictures and videos of the proceedings maari din siya mag protesta sa ano man
iriguralidad mag challenge laban sa mga hindi botante at nagbebenta ng boto and to get copies of
the election returns or certificate of votes.
3. They can position themselves near the teachers during the announcement of pricint result.
4. But let me remind you that you are prohibited under the law, bawal kayo makipagusap sa ibang
watchers.
To our watchers I advise you that you bring your COMELEC ID or proof of registration and your appointment
papers.

Who are the persons allowed and not allowed inside the polling places during upcoming BSK election day on
October 30?

Who are allowed? Under the law and COMELEC Resolution 10727 the following are allowed inside
the polling places.
1. Members of the Electoral Board (EB)
2. EB support staff
3. Department of Education Supervisor Official (DESO)
Technical Support Staff
4. Emergency Accessible Polling Place (EAPP) Support Staff
5. COMELEC Representatives
6. Voters casting their votes and their assistors
7. Voters waiting for their turn to cast their vote
8. Watchers of Candidates and citizens’ Arms
9. Jail/Prison Escorts escorting Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) voters
10. Other COMELEC-authorized persons

Who are not permitted inside the polling places? These are:
1. Military Officials/ AFP
2. Police Officials? PNP
3. Peace Officers
4. Barangay Officials
5. Sangguniang Kabataan Officials
6. Barangay Tanods
7. Extra-Legal Police Personnel

Are not allowed inside the polling places.

Pero kung sapalagay ng Electoral Board na nanganganib sila at kailangan proteksyunan ang mga
election parapernelya kailangan through majority vote of the Electoral Board maari nilang
ipatawag ang kapulisan o ang mga peace officers na lumapit sa mga polling place.

Be reminded that polling places are not open to all,

ELECTION PROCESS
1. Health check of voter
2. Voter’s Precinct and identity verified
3. EB chair announces voter’s name
4. EB Chair gives ballot to voter
5. Voter votes by writing the name of the candidate
6. Voter Deposits Ballot inside VCM
7. Indelible ink applied on Voter’s finger
8. Voter Departs

1. In observance of the health protocols voter’s must go through a health check (be reminded that kahit
pa ang temperatura mo ay 38 degrees ikaw ay maaring bumuto sa isolation place.
2. Then the voter approaches the voter assistance desk to check if his or her name is listed under a
clustered precinct.
3. Tapos pupuntahan niya ang EB. I-aanounce ng EB Chair ang kanyang pangalan, maaring may mag
challenge sa kanya na kapwa botante or kayo as a watcher o bantay boto on 2 grounds:
a. Kung siya ay illegal na botante or
b. Siya ay may ginagawang illegal
4. The EB Chair will then hand over the ballot inside the secrecy folder and a marking pen to the voter.
 5. The voter votes by writing the name of the candidate. Hindi dapat lagyan ng ano mang ibang marka
anf ballota. Ang botante at hindi ang myembro ng EB ang maglalagay ng ballota sa vote counting
machine the voter will also check the voter verifiable paper audit trail then deposit it inside the
receptacle.
6. So that the voter will not vote again, Indelible ink is place on the voter’s right finger
7. Lastly, the voter cannot stay inside the polling place, after voting the voter should live right away and
cannot vote again.

Know the process, because as a watcher kayo ang mata o bantay naming sa loob ng polling place. You should
know the process they should follow the law.