Army soldiers join first day of local absentee voting in Abra

April 29, 2019

Army soldiers participated in the first day of local absentee voting in Abra on Monday.

1Lt. Catherine Hapin, spokesman of the 7th Infantry Division, said the troops from 24th Infantry Battalion cast their votes ahead of the general public in its headquarters.

Hapin said the local absentee voting will be held for three days starting April 29 up to May 1.

"Personnel of the 24th Infantry (Wildcat) Battalion successfully casted their votes which were facilitated by Ms. Maria Susan Timbreza, Election Officer II and Mr Celso P. Ballangan, Election Officer I, both from the Commission on Election - Lagangilang, Abra facilitated," she said.

"All sealed envelopes containing the ballots will be transmitted to Comelec in Intramuros, Manila for counting on 13 May 2019," he added.

Hapin said "local absentee voting is a system of voting where it allows the government employees including the Armed Forces of the Philippines, who are duly registered voters and on duty on Election Day, to cast their votes for national posts ahead of May 13, 2019.

"Those who will be casting their votes thru local absentee voting can only elect national positions," she said.

Hapin said Major General Lenard Agustin, commander of 7th Infantry Division, emphasized the importance of absentee voting for soldiers who were assigned in areas far from their homes.

"Many of our soldiers were assigned far from where they are registered to vote. The local absentee voting allows us to be 100% ready for the election duty anywhere in Northern Luzon”, he said.

It can be recalled Abra is among the provinces included in the election hotspot for the 2019 national and local elections. Robina Asido/DMS