A long line of voters await their turn at the Inayawan Elementary School in Cebu City on Monday, May 9, 2022. CDN Digital photo | Delta Letigio
CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Commission on Elections in Cebu province (Comelec-Cebu) clarified that there will be no extension of voting hours in polling centers.
Lawyer Jerome Brillantes, acting Provincial Elections Supervisor of Comelec-Cebu, said that polling centers will close by 7 p.m. as scheduled.
“Wala mi nareceive nga instruction on extension,” said Brillantes.
Brillantes also said they have not received any official information from their head office on postponing the local canvassing procedures.
As a result, Comelec-Cebu will be proceeding with the canvassing on Monday evening, May 9, 2022.
“Nakaconvene na ta ganina 1 p.m… But so far wa pa tay nasubmit kay naghuwat pa ta sa polling centers musara by 7 p.m.,” Brillantes clarified.
Comelec, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC), suspended the canvassing of votes on Monday afternoon.
“At this point, we are still awaiting electronic transmission of the results and, therefore, this canvass is hereby suspended to resume tomorrow at one o’clock in the afternoon,” Comelec Chairman Saidamin Pangarungan said.
The Comelec convened past 3 p.m. on election day, around four hours before voting ends at 7 p.m.
The Comelec will be canvassing votes only up to the senatorial positions. The presidential and vice-presidential votes will be canvassed by Congress when it resumes session on May 23.
Earlier, Comelec Commissioner George Garcia said the country’s new senators may be proclaimed by May 15 to 16, citing previous polls.
For local positions, the Comelec may already proclaim the winners as early as the evening of the election day on May 9 up to May 10, he added.
There are a total of 18,100 national and local posts up for grabs in this year’s elections. /with reports from INQUIRER.net
/bmjo
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