Tue - 14 May
Written by ■ The News Today
Defected compact flask cards is the most common reason why there were delays during the casting of votes in some precincts in Western Visayas, according to an official of the Commission on Elections here.
Comelec regional director Renato Magbutay said that aside from the switching of the official ballot boxes in the municipalities of Bugasong, Antique and Odiongan, Romblon, only minor glitches were reported in the region.
Magbutay said that most PCOS machines have malfunctioned due to defected compact flash cards.
He said that most affected areas are in Negros Occidental and Iloilo province.
In Calinog Iloilo, voters of Brgy. Simsiman were not able to cast their votes on time due to defective PCOS machines. Voters started voting at around 7:30 in the morning but their ballots were counted an hour after the defective PCOS machines were replaced.
In Carles and Dueñas towns, some ballots were cut by the board of election inspectors to fit in the PCOS machine.
In Rizal Elementary School in Iloilo City, after seven ballots were counted, a PCOS machine has stopped working due to paper jam.
But it was restored about 10 minutes after.
GAVE UP
Meanwhile, some voters decided to go home after delays caused by problems with the PCOS machines.
Bombo Radyo Iloilo reported that in Brgy. Igang, Pototan, Iloilo, voters went home after PCOS machines jammed, while those in Brgys. Oracon and Ravina, Sibunag, Guimaras gave up after two PCOS machines were switched.
Some voters in Brgy. Tacas, Jaro decided to go home after they got tired of looking for their names.
DISENFRANCHISED VOTERS
Meanwhile, some voters also decided to just go home without the indelible ink in their hands because of the deletion of their names in the Comelec voter’s list.
Despite his visual impairment, Raul Jones, 60, said that he woke up as early as 6 a.m. just to be on time at Graciano Lopez Jaena Elementary School in La Paz district, Iloilo City.
But he was disappointed when his assistant could not find his name in the Comelec’s voter’s list anymore.
He said that he should not be deleted on the list because he had also voted during the 2010 elections.
In Calinog, a certain Marilyn said that she couldn't find her name in the master list. She has a voter's ID so it's impossible that she's not registered, she said.
But according to the Comelec, Marilyn was delisted because she failed to vote for two consecutive elections.
This is provided for in Section 27 of Republic Act 8189.
Meanwhile, Presidential deputy spokesman Abigail Valte said she voted back in 2010 but couldn't find her name in the list of registered voters for this year's poll.
In her Twitter account, Valte lamented that Comelec claimed her signature did not appear in the 2010 list, hence she had to be taken out of the list.
VOTING EXPERIENCE
Mariel Ann Piorque of Miag-ao, Iloilo, a first-time voter realized that in order to vote, one must put in much effort, after discovering that there was a long line at the voting center.
Flor Fieldad, a senior citizen in the same town, said this year's election was more organized than in 2010.
"The Comelec gave us privilege and prioritized the senior citizens, pregnant women and persons with disability. They gave us easy access this election and it’s overwhelming on our part," Fieldad said.
“So far kanami subong sang election kay bal-an mo grabe gid ang mga nagapadalan. Indi ka kahambal kung sin-o gid man bala madaug kay balanse lang ang supporters. Te kung sin-o magdaug, kabay pa nga mangin manami ang aton banwa”," she added.
Amid the long lines, some people never failed to provide a light moment to the experience. Some Miag-aonons burst into laughter upon seeing one voter who came wearing neon green from the polo, shorts to the sunglasses.
POWER INTERRUPTION
Also in Iloilo City, a 7-minute power interruption was felt in La Paz and Jaro districts.
According to Randy Pastolero, vice president for operations of Panay Electric Company, the power interruption was due to the collision of migratory birds in one of their transmission lines.
Pastolero meanwhile said that their team is just on standby for any power problems that may occur.
VOTE BUYING
Even during the day of the election, vote buying was rampant.
In Brgy. Bolilao and Bakhaw in Mandurriao, voters were lining up at the house of a political leader for their money.
In Sta. Barbara, incumbent Mayor Dennis Superficial was complained of buying votes by giving the public NFA rice and P100 each.
VIOLENCE
Last Sunday, Jerry Ormes, 50 of Brgy. Dugkawan, Banate, Iloilo and alleged bodyguard of a mayoralty candidate was killed in a shooting incident.
Punong Barangay Rufino Laroza of Lambunao, was arrested for vote buying by the Lambunao Police Station.
Then, a village chief complained that Vice Mayor Peter Paul Lopez of San Dionisio, Iloilo poked a gun at him.
Policemen in Igbaras tightened their security after the presence of rebels and their plan to plant an improvised explosive device (EID) was discovered.
Security was strict in the towns of the Fourth and Fifth Districts of Iloilo because of intense political rivalry. These towns are Lemery, Estancia, San Dionisio, Dingle and San Enrique.*Karen V. Bermejo, Elenlu Nacionales, Gillie Sendico, Elyrose Naorbe, Bombo Radyo Iloilo, ABS-CBN
