By JEN BAYLON

More than 5,000 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) in Western Visayas (Region 6) have registered for the 2025 midterm elections, with Negros Occidental having the highest number of registrations.

Jail Senior Inspector Atty. Juniven Umadhay, spokesperson for the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, revealed that out of the 5,472 newly registered PDL voters, 3,933 are from Negros Occidental, while over 1,000 are from Bacolod City.

Umadhay explained that one of the reasons for the surge in registrations is due to the recent Supreme Court resolution issued in March 2022, which granted PDLs the right to vote in the local elections.

Umadhay expressed optimism about the development, noting that the government’s decision to uphold the constitutional rights of those inside correctional facilities will allow them to participate in the elections./JB, WDJ