Poll failure declared in 11 towns

MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has declared a failure of elections in 11 towns.

In a five-page resolution issued yesterday, the poll body said special elections would be held on Saturday in Cordova town in Cebu;  Maitum, Sarangani; Sta. Cruz, Marinduque; Anini-y and San Remigio in Antique; Lope de Vega, Northern Samar; Matuguinao, Western Samar;  Pata and Panglima Estino in Sulu as well as Tamparan and Binidayan in Lanao del Sur.

No elections were held in these areas on Monday due to lack of ballots and security concerns.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said 52 precincts or 17,657 voters were affected.

Jimenez said an Army trooper was killed in a shooting incident in Lope de Vega on Monday.

He said armed men burned vote counting machines and other election paraphernalia in Matuguinao.

Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon said no election officer showed up in Binidayan.

“The board of election inspectors did not want to serve,” Guanzon said.

Cases of election-related violence were recorded in 26 barangays in Binidayan, she added. – With Ghio Ong