THE Comelec yesterday opened Automated Counting Machines (ACM) Voting Experience booths in Intramuros, Manila to allow the public to try their hands in using the new voting machines ahead of the May 2025 polls.
The undertaking, which is being supervised by the Comelec – Education and Information Department, is part of the poll body’s nationwide roadshow of the automation system which it will use in the midterm elections.
“For those that were unable to experience voting during our roadshow held from December 2024 to January 2025, they can still experience this using the ACM here,” said Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco in a phone interview.
“The Comelec-EID offers the ACM Voting Experience for those looking to try voting using the ACMs,” he added.
He said visits to the ACM voting booths, which are located behind the FEMII Building in Intramuros, will provide the poll body the opportunity to address different voter concerns.
“We take it also as an opportunity to inform them about our efforts against dis/misinformation and vote-buying/selling,” he added.
The Comelec said the booths will be open to the public for free from Mondays to Fridays, except holidays, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Interested groups and individuals are encouraged to book their schedules.
“It is best to schedule visits, especially for large groups. But walk-ins are also welcome,” Laudiangco said.
The Comelec will use the automated election system provided by South Korean firm, Miru Systems, for the first time this coming May 12 elections.
The PNP yesterday said it has recorded nine election-related incidents (ERIs) since January 12 when the election period for the May polls started.
The PNP did not provide details of the validated ERIs but said six were classified as “violent,” while the three others are “non-violent,” according to information from the National Election Monitoring Action Center as of last Saturday.
Three of the violent ERIs occurred in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), while one each in the three others occurred in Ilocos region, Zamboanga Peninsula and Soccsksargen.
On the other hand, all the three non-violent ERIs were recorded in Western Visayas.
The PNP also said there are seven suspected ERIs — five violent and two non-violent. Efforts are underway to determine if these incidents are indeed election-related.
The five suspected ERIs classified as violent occurred in Zamboanga Peninsula (two), BARMM (two) and the Cordillera Administrative Region (one).
The two non-violent suspected ERIs were recorded in Zamboanga Peninsula and Davao region.
The PNP said the seven cases earlier reported to be suspected ERIs (six non-violent and one non-violent) have been established to be not related to the elections. Four of these incidents occurred in Western Visayas (including the lone violent incident), two in Cagayan Valley, and one in Central Luzon.
GUN BAN
In the implementation of the election gun ban which also started last January 12, the PNP said 1,398 individuals have been arrested, including nine policemen, seven military personnel, seven government officials, and six foreign nationals.
The top three regions with the most number of arrested violators are the National Capital Region (419), Central Luzon (207), and Central Visayas (186).
The PNP said 1,422 firearms were seized during the implementation of the election gun ban, including 541 revolvers and 431 pistols.
It said the NCR also topped all regions in the number of seized firearms with 410, followed by Central Luzon with 200, and Central Visayas with 187. – With Victor Reyes
