COTABATO CITY – The Philippines’ Commission on Elections (Comelec) has uncovered a troubling issue with the country’s voter rolls, finding that over one million registered voters have duplicate or multiple registrations.
Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia announced the discovery at a press briefing on Monday, stating that the duplicates were detected through the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). This biometrics-based system is designed to identify cases where individuals have registered to vote more than once.
“We will be deleting some one million voter registration records found by our AFIS as double or multiple registrants,” Garcia told reporters at the Bangsamoro Government Center.
The revelation comes just months before the 2025 midterm elections and the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections, raising concerns about the integrity of the upcoming votes. Those found to have multiple registrations will no longer be eligible to cast ballots.
Garcia noted that the individuals involved may also face potential legal consequences. “The fact that you registered more than once, whatever your reason is, could be punishable as an election offense,” he said, adding that authorities will investigate whether the duplicate registrations were made in good faith or with malicious intent.
According to Comelec, the total number of registered voters nationwide stood at 68,618,667 as of September 30th, the close of the registration period. The discovery of over one million duplicate entries represents a significant portion of the electorate.
Election experts have long warned about the risks posed by inaccurate voter rolls, which can leave the door open to fraud and erode public trust in the electoral process. The Comelec’s latest findings underscore the importance of robust voter registration procedures and continuous efforts to maintain the integrity of the Philippines’ democratic institutions.
As the country gears up for the pivotal 2025 polls, election officials will be under heightened scrutiny to ensure that every eligible voter is accurately represented and that the final results reflect the true will of the Filipino people.
