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VCM destroyed in Zambo Sur town fire

By Leah Agonoy

May 16, 2019, 10:35 pm

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur - One of the eight Vote Counting Machines (VCM) with still uncanvassed votes was intentionally burned in the town of San Pablo, this province.

Capt. Herminigildo Bajao Jr., San Pablo police chief, said the incident occurred around 11:10 p.m. Wednesday at the town’s central elementary school.

Bajao said that before the fire broke out, a grenade exploded near the fire station that diverted the attention of security forces and poll watchers detailed at the school.

Suddenly, he said a fire broke out in the school, particularly at the classroom where eight VCMs with uncanvassed votes due to defective Secure Digital (SD) Cards were kept for safekeeping.

He said firemen managed to quickly put off the fire while the responding policemen secured the VCMs except for one, which was placed near the window.

The burnt VCM with 427 uncanvassed ballots is from Barangay Lumbayao, San Pablo.

The eight VCMs were placed in the classroom for safekeeping while waiting for the defective SD cards to be reconfigured so that the election results could be transmitted to the Municipal Board of Canvassers.

Bajao said investigation showed that an unidentified person poured gasoline into the room through the window and set it on fire.

Data from the local election office showed that the town of San Pablo has so far transmitted the votes canvassed from 23 of the 31 clustered precincts representing 74.19 percent as of 4:26 a.m. Thursday. (PNA)

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