Late start, senior citizen woes; power failure and counting delays

(CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

A POLLING precinct in Abellana National School did not start until 7:55 a.m.

Comelec-7 Director Veronico Petalcorin said that the election board might have overlooked the preparation of election materials causing the delay.
Petalcorin also denied the request of a barangay captain in Lapu-Lapu City to declare failure of elections in her barangay due to reported sightings of goons.

He said that the reason would not suffice to declare a failure of election since voters were still able to vote without a direct threat.

Petalcorin also clarified the issue of a spare ballot box found inside a polling place in the same barangay.

“There is really a spare ballot box intended for the canvassing. But for the mean time, I directed them to remove the box from the area to stop speculations that there are anomalies going on,” said Petalcorin.

He also clarified that distribution of sample ballots is not a violation of election guidelines.

Voters look for their respective precincts outside on a tarpaulin in front of the Guadalupe Elementary School.

But its distribution within the polling place is another story.

Petalcorin said that those caught distributing sample ballots inside polling centers or schools may face legal action.

On the day of the elections, Comelec Central Office released a directive to allow senior citizens and persons with disability vote on the ground floor of the building if their designated precinct is at the higher levels.

In some areas where the directive has not been furnished on time, the bayanihan system is still proven to work as other voters and poll watchers carried the PWD or senior citizen voter up to the floor where he is assigned to vote.

The counting of ballots in Inayawan Elementary School was temporarily suspended for about 40 minutes due to a power interruption.

Lawyer Anna Fleur Gujilde, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Cebu City-South District officer, said that they received the report at 6:05 p.m.

The ballot counting resumed 45 minutes later after the power was restored.

“We immediately asked personnel from Veco (Visayan Electric Co.) to restore power in the school. But our teachers are equipped with emergency tools such as flashlights in case of brownouts,” Gujilde said.