SNATCHED VCM/BALLOTS. Some of the items left at one of the polling precincts in Bayabao Central School in the municipality of Butig after unidentified men took away the vote counting machines and ballots intended for Barangay Ragayan on May 9 polls. The Commission on Elections on May 11 declared “failure of elections” in the municipalities of Tubaran, Binidayan, and Butig in the province of Lanao del Sur. (Photo courtesy of Apipa Bagumbaran of PIA Lanao del Sur)
MANILA – The Commission on Election (Comelec) en banc is now readying the poll paraphernalia needed for the conduct of special elections in 14 villages of Lanao del Sur province where "failure of elections" was declared.
In a press conference on Thursday, Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said the poll body will only provide 1,374 new printed ballots.
Based on the reports, the personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines failed to retrieve a total of 798 stolen ballots intended for the four clustered precincts in Barangay Ragayan, Butig.
While the poll-related violence in Barangay Pindolonan, Binidayan has resulted in the destruction of VCMs and 576 official ballots intended for its three clustered precincts.
Comelec reported a serious threat of violence and intimidation in 11 villages in Tubaran town, but the VCMs and the ballots remained intact.
A total of 8,295 registered voters were affected by the declaration of “failure of elections” in these areas.
Meanwhile, Laudiangco assured a fast-paced printing of ballots for these areas, noting that the National Printing Office can produce 1 million ballots a day.
“Iyan po yung naka-set sa atin. Hindi po pwedeng mas mabagal pa dyan (That’s set for us, we cannot allow slower than that),” he said.
Laudiangco said there will be no problem in the mobilization of election paraphernalia as security forces and the Comelec field personnel are already on standby. (PNA)
