MANILA — The Commission on Elections may extend the conduct of voting in 36 precincts in Maluso, Basilan as part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Parliamentary Elections following reports of alleged pre-shading of ballots.
The town has been placed under Comelec control along with Cotabato City due to violence Sunday night.
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"Meron pong nag-tamper ng kahon ng balota at dahil diyan, hindi po natin pinasimulan sa 36 na presinto ang botohan," Comelec Spokesperson Director John Rex Laudiangco said in a phone interview with state-run media PTV Monday, September 14.
"Anytime po tapos na printing ng National Printing Office sa mga balota po na 'yan at ililipad po 'yan sa tulong ng Philippine Air Force," he said.
Laudiangco assured no voters will be disenfranchised despite the incident.
"Titingnan po natin kung ang karamihan ng ating mga kababayan ay hindi pa nakakaboto, mao-obliga po ang Comelec na i-extend ang voting po sa mga lugar po na 'yan at sisiguraduhin natin na wala na pong matitira 'yung kinakailangang bumoto po ay pabobotohin po natin," he stated.
Meanwhile, the shooting incident in Dilausan Elementary School in Lumbaca-Unayan, Lanao del Sur is also being monitored by the poll body, according to Laudiangco.
He also called on voters to report any untoward incident to checkpoints and command posts.
Laudiangco said there are nearly 40,000 "heavily reinforced" checkpoints across the region, focusing on schools to ensure safety of voters.
"May assurance din po tayo na makakauwi po sila nang ligtas pagkatapos po nilang bumoto," he said.
ASSURANCE TO 'TIPSTERS'
Meanwhile, Laudiangco said to expect more show cause orders concerning alleged vote-buying to be issued to candidates.
"Ang Comelec po ay handang mag-issue ng show cause orders doon sa mga makakakuha kami ng mga ebidensya, makakakuha kami ng complaints, mga nirereklamo nila na merong pagtatangka na mamili ng boto. Hindi po kami namimili. In fact, talaga po ay lahat padadalhan po natin."
The poll body on Saturday announced that its Committee on Kontra Bigay issued a show-cause order against its former chairman Sheriff Abas over alleged vote-buying.
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"Mayroon pa pong nakahanda na ipadala na ilan pa ano ito po ay ipapa-receive, syempre po ang una po natin ay pinapa-receive po natin dito ay 'yung mga mismong respondents po," he added.
The Comelec official urged voters to report any vote-buying incidents and other election-related violations as he assured their safety.
"Ito po ay pangako ng Comelec – kung nais po nila na anonymous po ang kanilang pagrereklamo sa atin, sinisiguro natin po natin ito, hindi po natin dini-disclose ang pangalan at higit po sa lahat, puwede po sila mag-text, puwede po sila via Facebook, puwede po sila kahit tawag," Laudiangco said.
HOPES FOR BARMM
Meanwhile, the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Bangsamoro Transformation is looking forward to the gains of the historic elections.
Presidential Assistant for Bangsamoro Transformation Undersecretary Noel Alvarez Baraceros said once the election concludes, the government will proceed with the normalization track.
"Pagkatapos po ng eleksyon at magkaroon na po sila ng bagong gobyerno, mapapatupad na po natin 'yung mga remaining deliverables na napagkasunduan doon sa ating peace panels," he told in the same interview.
These include continuous decommissioning of remaining Moro Islamic Liberation Front combatants, reintegration of former combatants, livelihood assistance and overall development of the region.
Baraceros also highlighted the importance of international observers in the conduct of the much-anticipated polls.
"Nagpapakita po ito na malaki ang interest nila dito sa ginagawa natin na 1st BARMM Parliamentary Election. 'Yung pangalawa po is sila po 'yung magbibigay ng patunay na magkakaroon ng transparency dito sa ginagawa nating elections," he said.
"Kung ang foreign observers ay nandito, it will give trust and confidence for them to really cast their constitutional right na makapagboto at maisakatuparan po nila 'yung boses nila through pagka-cast nila ng balota," Baraceros added.
The official further called on political parties to "set aside political partisanship" and accept the outcome of the elections as well as advocate unity and reconciliation.