Thousands of inmates may soon exercise their right to suffrage once the Commission on Elections (Comelec) issues an en banc resolution that would allow them to vote in the coming 2010 elections.

Chief Superintendent Serafin Barretto Jr., regional director of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology-National Capital Region, said Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno has talked to Comelec Chairman Jose Melo to issue an en banc resolution allowing the BJMP's 61,000 inmates to vote.

Aside from the Comelec and the DILG, the BJMP said it is also coordinating with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chairperson Leila de Lima and various non-government organizations on the proposal.

"First of all, it's their right to vote. The Constitution states that you can vote even if you are in jail," Barretto said during a press conference in Quezon City Monday.

Barretto said the Davao City and Pagbilao provincial jails previously allowed inmates to vote inside the jails. He said passage of the Comelec resolution would allow prisoners all over the country to vote in the 2010 elections.

BJMP records show there are around 61,000 inmates nationwide, of which 18,582 are in Metro Manila.

Barretto said that only inmates who are not yet convicted shall be allowed to register provided that he or she passes the same guidelines that qualify any Filipinos to vote under the Constitution. "The BJMP only handles the city, municipality and district jails and most of the inmates there have yet to be convicted," hesaid.

Section 1 of Article V of the Philippine Constitution states that “Suffrage may be exercised by all citizens of the Philippines not otherwise disqualified by law, who are at least eighteen years of age, and who shall have resided in the Philippines for at least one year, and in the place wherein they propose to vote, for at least six months immediately preceding the election. No literacy, property, or other substantive requirement shall be imposed on the exercise of suffrage.”

The BJMP-NCR chief urged Comelec to allow inmates to vote in both the national and local elections. He also said the elections should be held inside the jails to lessen the security risk.

Barretto said inmates want to participate in the elections to let local officials aware of their condition while inside the detention cell. He also said he is confident that inmates would not be influenced by anyone to vote against their will.

He also said the more than 1,000 jailguards on duty during elections may also be given the chance to exercise their right to vote on election day.