By Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan
Nuns vote
MANILA, May 9 (PNA) – Despite some recorded incidents of glitches in vote counting machines (VCMs), the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said Monday’s polls in the metropolis has been “generally peaceful.”
NCRPO Chief Police Director Joel Pagdilao told the Philippines News Agency that the people were able to go to polling centers and were able to cast their votes, noting that such incidents are “very isolated in nature” and did not hamper the conduct of the election process.
“In Metro Manila so far the election also generally peaceful and there still full alert status,” Pagdilao said in a phone interview.
He said that as of 5:00 p.m. Monday, a total of 71 persons were arrested due to liquor ban and expected to be lifted before midnight.
President Benigno S. Aquino III leads the 52 million Filipino registered voters in casting the vote for the 2016 elections at precinct 175-A at the Central Azucarera de Tarlac Elementary School in Barangay San Miguel, Tarlac City on Monday (May 09). (MNS photo)
For her part, Southern Police District (SPD) spokesperson Jenny Tecson said that an election supervisor in Pasay City reported that a vote counting machine failed to issue vote receipts in one polling precinct in Park Avenue Cuneta Elementary School.
She said the Board of Election Inspectors recommended to the local Commission on Elections to have it replaced.
In Las Pinas City, another defective machine was reported in Pamplona Tres around 1:00 p.m. while some voters in Bagumbayan, Taguig City are complaining that their names were transferred to another polling precincts.
In Muntinlupa City, two persons were arrested for violating the gunban and for distribution of election paraphernalia, which is also an election offense because it happened beyond the campaign period.
Seven other persons were also arrested by policemen for illegal campaigning Sunday night in Muntinlupa City. Confiscated from them were several campaign flyers and pamphlets of local candidates. (PNA) BNB/CLTC/ Christian Robert M. Roxas/ Ivy C. Cuebillas