Comelec says voter turnout high, pilot tests effective
THE first Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) since 2018 was a success, with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) saying they met their target voter turnout.
In a press conference at the close of voting hours, Comelec chairman George Garcia expressed satisfaction over the conduct of the barangay and youth polls, which he described on Sunday as “long overdue.”
“Generally, if you look at it, since we started 5 a.m. until this hour, the election nationwide is generally peaceful even though there are some incidents of violence that happened,” said Garcia.
“Overall, these incidents were not enough to prevent our countrymen from voting,” he added.
He said there was huge interest among voters in casting their votes as seen in the long lines in polling precincts.
“Based on initial estimates, we are likely to reach our target percentage. Even if it is just in the range of 70 to 75 percent, we can say the elections has been successful,” said Garcia.
Garcia has previously said they are hoping to reach at least a 75 percent voter turnout for this year’s BSKE.
The Comelec chief cited the presence of the Precinct Finder as among the factors in the high turnout of voters.
“The Precinct Finder was very effective. Nearly 2 million inquired and found their registration records,” Garcia said, noting how the Precinct Finder only went online recently.
Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said this year’s BSKE was “better” compared to previous barangay and youth elections.
“You can’t avoid problems but if I would compare it with other election exercises on the barangay level, this is better,” he said, as he noted that there were no reported election-related deaths or injuries in Metro Manila.
What were reported in NCR, Abalos noted, are cases of vote-buying, violation of election gun ban, and liquor ban.
Abalos said he believes this year’s BSKE was “one of the most orderly elections because (Comelec) chairman George (Garcia) is very strict.”
In previous elections, Abalos said election materials were everywhere. “Now, you can only see a few and they are in designated poster areas and private property. That alone speaks for itself,” he said.
In a press briefing at Camp Karingal in Quezon City at around 12 noon, Abalos said: “It’s very peaceful right now (in NCR). There are no incidents of shooting, killing, wounded persons), none.”
“So far so good,” said Abalos. “I’m very much satisfied with the (performance of the) police,” he added.
Abalos commended the NCRPO “for doing their job”, particularly in arresting vote-buyers.
PILOT TEST SUCCESSES
The poll chief said they are also satisfied over the highly successful pilot testing of the early voting hours in Muntinlupa City and Naga City. Under the system, persons with disability (PWDs), senior citizens (SC), and heavily pregnant voters were allowed to cast their votes from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. before polling precincts were opened to regular voters at 7 a.m.
“It was a successful early voting pilot test for our vulnerable sectors,” Garcia said.
Garcia also said the mall voting initiative was satisfactory based on the feedbacks they have received in the 10 malls that hosted the BSKE.
“The only complaint they have is the cold temperature inside the malls… This only shows the difference we have between mall voting and those in regular precincts in schools,” said Garcia.
Mall voting were held in SM malls, particularly in SM Manila (Barangay 659, Manila 5th District), SM Sucat (Barangay San Dionisio, Parañaque City 1st District), SM North EDSA (Barangay Alicia, Quezon City 1st District), SM Legaspi (Barangay 36 Kapantawan, Legaspi City), and SM Consolacion Cebu (Barangay Pitogo, Consolacion, Cebu), as well as in Robinsons malls, specifically in Robinsons Magnolia (Barangay Horseshoe, Quezon City 4th District), Robinsons Las Piñas (Barangay Talon Tres, Las Piñas City), Robinsons Ermita (Barangay 668, Manila 5th District), Robinsons Metro East (Barangay Dela Paz, Pasig City 2nd District), and Robinsons Cebu (Barangay Parian, Cebu City).
As for the automated BSKE in Dasmariñas City and Quezon City (6th District), Garcia said the glitches they encountered in the participating voting centers proved the need to replace old vote counting machines (VCMs).
“That is to emphasize to all of you that Commission en banc is not wrong in declaring all the 97,000 machines as being unusable,” said Garcia.
The AES was pilot tested in Barangay Pasong Tamo in the sixth district of Quezon City, and in Barangays Zone II Poblacion and Paliparan III in Dasmariñas City, Cavite.
Garcia said they expect the proclamation of winners around 10 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. last night.
Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said winners in yesterday’s polls who have already been proclaimed may already assume their won posts as soon as they meet the requirements of the law.
Laudiangco said the candidates no longer need to file their Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCEs) before being able to assume their posts.
“All currently seating officials have already ended their terms and are merely on holdover capacity. They will stay in office until the election and qualification of their successors to office,” said Laudiangco.
“When it comes to the SOCE requirements, they are exempted as provided under Republic Act No. 7166. The SOCE is not a requirement for them to assume the posts,” he added.
But Garcia said they have asked the DILG to consider providing a transition period to the newly-elected officials.
“We suggested that it may be better if there will be a brief transition period and proper turnover of items and documents before the new officials assume their posts,” said Garcia.
He said Abalos had an affirmative response to the Comelec’s proposal on the transition period.
“Sec Abalos said they are planning to issue such a directive or circular,” said Garcia.
According to Laudiangco, all winning candidates must meet three requirements before they can assume their posts: proclamation, oath of office, and assumption to Office.
SUSPENDED PROCLAMATION
Excluded from those who can immediately assume their posts, however, are some 300 winning candidates facing disqualification cases.
According to Laudiangco, the number includes 220 cases due to illegal campaigning and premature campaigning, and 27 cases due to vote buying.
“If ever these candidates get the highest votes, their proclamations are suspended until lifted by the Comelec,” he said.
“If the case is dismissed, the suspension order will be lifted. If it becomes final, they will be disqualified even if they receive the highest number of votes,” he added.
ABRA
PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr said 292 candidates in Abra backed out of the elections days before yesterday’s voting.
Acorda and Garcia were in Abra on Monday to assess the situation in the province amid reports that some candidates withdrew their candidacy.
“Actually, a total of 292 (candidates) withdrew there,” said Acorda.
The PNP earlier reported that some of the candidates withdrew due to threats.
But yesterday, Acorda said at least 90 of the candidates backed out because they are subject of disqualification cases. “So, it’s like they acted ahead (of the decision),” he said.
Acorda said some of the candidates backed out on the prodding of their elders. “It’s part of their culture,” he said.
Acorda said the PNP conducted a total of 323,972 checkpoint operations throughout the country since the start of the election period, or an average of 6,376 per day.
These checkpoint operations were instrumental in the seizure of gun ban violators and seizure of loose firearms.
The PNP also reported that 51 individuals were accosted for violation of the liquor ban.
PDLs
In a related development, the Bureau of Corrections said 2,102 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) were able to cast their votes out of the 2,293 who were qualified to participate in the barangay elections.
BuCor Director General Gregorio Catapang said 864 of the inmates are from the maximum security compound of the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, 61 from the NBP’s medium security compound, and five from the minimum security compound.
The number also included 47 from the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City, 983 at the Davao Prison and Penal Farm, and 333 at the Leyte Prison and Penal Farm.
In the 2022 national and local elections, 1, 732 BuCor inmates were able to cast their votes.
Under the Omnibus Election Code, individuals who have been sentenced to prison terms beyond one year, those who lost or have renounced their Filipino citizenship, and those found to be insane or incompetent after being declared by competent authority are barred from voting.
Resolution No.9271 issued by the Comelec in 2012 states that inmates who are still waiting or undergoing trial, those serving prison sentences for less than one year, and those whose conviction is on appeal can cast their votes.
VOTE BUYING
Garcia said the Comelec’s Committee on “Kontra Bigay “ is investigating the alleged involvement of one governor and 13 mayors in Luzon in vote buying activities ahead of yesterday’s polls.
“We are investigating one governor and 13 mayors because it (vote buying) is allegedly happening right in their own homes and other properties,” said Garcia.
He did not name the local officials.
Garcia slammed the alleged acts as unacceptable, stressing that “we have been saying that local government officials shouldn’t meddle because it will only complicate the conduct of the barangay and youth elections.”
Garcia has earlier tagged an unnamed local official in Malabon City for his/her involvement in the alleged vote buying incident in Navotas City involving Malabon City registered voters.
Acorda said the number of vote-buying incidents monitored by the PNP have increased to 19, from 17 earlier reported on Monday — three each in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley and Soccsksargen; two each in Calabarzon and Western Visayas; and one each in Central Luzon, Central Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, BARMM and National Capital Region.
“There were arrests made but we are having difficulty in the filing (of charges),” said Acorda, noting the refusal of witnesses to testify against the suspects. — With Victor Reyes and Ashzel Hachero