ELECTORAL PARTICIPATION OF PERSONS DEPRIVED OF LIBERTY (PDL) IN SARANGANI PROVINCIAL JAIL

Persons deprived of liberty are usually known as individuals behind bars; they no longer have freedom of movement but have been granted rights and privileges such as welfare, due to health and medicine, and especially the right to suffrage. The purpose of this research is to learn about these individuals' political franchise and to understand how institutions, specifically the Sarangani Provincial Jail and the Commission on Elections, are handling PDLs to exercise their political franchise fully.

The study used a qualitative research design in which it applied a structured interview for In-depth interview (IDI) and Key informant interview (KII). Persons deprived of liberty and institutions such as Sarangani Provincial Jail and Commission on Elections were interviewed and supplemented the necessary data needed in this study.

The study discovered that the political franchise of persons deprived of liberty is exercised well within the facility; additionally, they are allowed to fully enjoy their rights and privileges despite being detained inside the facility. The Sarangani Provincial Jail and the Commission on Elections encourage and fulfill their responsibilities to provide the necessary means and platforms for PDLs to exercise their right to vote entirely as citizens of this country. However, there are still no conditions to promote political participation in Sarangani Provincial Jail.