Poll watchdog questions integrity of Marawi polls
MANILA, Philippines — An election watchdog is not convinced on the integrity of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in Marawi last Saturday.
In its post-election report, the Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) said the “peacefulness of the elections did not translate to integrity.”
LENTE said it observed various election offenses by candidates, poll watchers, members of the Board of Election Tellers and police officers.
The group cited the transportation provided to voters by politicians, distribution of campaign paraphernalia on election day and the presence of candidates in voting centers.
The non-application of indelible ink or its application on the wrong fingernail were also monitored, LENTE said.
In some voting centers, the group said watchers were not allowed to enter polling precincts and ballot secrecy was not observed.
Despite these problems, LENTE cited the “good points” in the conduct of the special elections, such as the “sizable” presence of law enforcers and accessibility of the polling precincts to senior citizens, pregnant women and persons with disability.
The Philippine National Police said the special elections in Marawi were the “most peaceful and orderly” in recent history.
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