No violence noted in Central Visayas: Minor glitches mar barangay polls

CEBU, Philippines — Except for a few glitches, yesterday’s conduct of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in Central Visayas was peaceful, according to the Commission on Elections and law enforcement agencies.

Some of the glitches include disorganized precincts, absence of names on the voter’s list, and location of precincts not friendly to senior citizens and persons with disabilities.

Veronico Petalcorin, acting director of the Commission on Elections – 7, said there was nothing irregular with the extra ballot box found in Barangay Punta Engaño because there are really extra ballot boxes for canvassing.

He said reports of vote buying will remain allegations until proof is presented and a formal complaint is filed against supposed violators.

"Makaingon ta nga alleged pa gihapon na kay wa mi kakita. Ang nasayod ra ana ang nipalit og nakakita so nindot unta pakit-on mi pero di gyud na sila masakpan but, still, di na allowed… ang boto nila sagrado," he told reporters yesterday.

Those who will be proven to have bought votes may face imprisonment for six years and disqualification from holding public office.

"These are violations of the Omnibus Election Code. We are waiting for people to stand as witness, as complainant… we don’t want concerned citizens; we want responsible ones to testify,” he said.

He said evidence and testimony are important because it is also possible that the supposed vote buying was a smear campaign against a candidate.

Last night, a 40-minute power interruption was experienced at Inayawan Elementary School in Cebu City where votes were being canvassed. The canvassing had to be suspended until personnel of the Visayan Electric Company (VECO) restored the electricity.

The interruption was reported at 6:05 p.m. and power came back at 6:45 p.m.

Atty. Anna Fleur Abelgas-Gujilde, election officer in the South District, rejected the thought that the power was cut off intentionally to manipulate the results of the election.

“Sa sulod, naay mga contingency measures like dala sila og flashlights or emergency lamps. Kon kaya nila mopadayon even if wala silay light basta naa lang ang emergency lights, pwede makapadayon,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-7 apprehended three out-of-line public utility jeepneys alleged used to ferry voters yesterday.

The jeepneys travelled from Urgello Street to Colon Street and Oprra to Colon and were caught near polling precincts.

LTFRB-7 Director Ahmed Cuizon said an investigation will be opened and once it is found out who hired the jeepneys, LTFRB will coordinate with Comelec for appropriate action.

"We released them (drivers) with a stern warning to stop ferrying voters. We issued summons so they will report to our office for investigation," Cuizon said.

He said penalties for out-of-line jeepneys operations can range from suspension to cancellation of the jeepney franchise.  Aside from those in Cebu City, Cuizon said they also responded to election violations in Pajo and Gun-ob in Lapu-Lapu City yesterday morning.

"But the only violations found are the posting of campaign materials on five PUJs. Since these infractions are minor, we just ordered the drivers to take down the materials and warned them not to repeat the violation," Cuizon said.

Before the elections, the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic issued an advisory to the public, particularly to drivers and operators of Public Utility Vehicles, not to use their vehicles in mass-transporting flying voters.

Cebu City rivalry

Former mayor Michael Rama said yesterday he is confident that yesterday’s polls would favor the opposition still.

Only 15 barangay captains were allied with Mayor Tomas Osmeña prior to yesterday’s elections.

“I'm doing my own survey. In substance, we have more. All of our barangay captains, we have not been remiss in bringing them to all areas of focus,” Rama said.

Osmeña, for his part, believes his allies fought a “good fight.”

“You need to consider we are running behind. They have 65 incumbents and I have 15 but I keep telling the people, why vote for them? They're going to jail, anyway… usik ra imong boto uy,” he said.

Osmeña has sued a total of 36 barangay captains associated with the Barug Team Rama-PDP Laban for allegedly failing to liquidate cash assistance from the city.

He has been vocal with his plan to get the two ex-officio positions in the City Council – those occupied by the Association of Barangay Councils president and SK Federation president – through his allies so that the administration can have the majority there. If this happens, it would be easier for him to push for his projects.

Opposition Councilor Raymond Alvin Garcia believes, however, that it would be better for the city to have an opposition-dominated Council so that the mayor’s projects will be evaluated better.

“In this election, it is important that we elect barangay captains that are allied with PDP Laban, President Duterte’s party, so we can further the Presidents anti-corruption advocacy and BLOCK anomalous and disadvantageous contracts that the Kickback Mayor wants to railroad,” reads a portion of his Facebook post.

Security

As far as law enforcement is concerned, the police believe the 8,000 cops and soldiers deployed to 2,900 polling centers in Central Visayas ensured peaceful elections, even at the 129 hotspots.

"Generally peaceful. We have prepared for this together with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). We have deployed human and material resources to ensure that all polling centers are covered and QRT are on the ground… maraming pwersa ang naka-deploy," said Chief Supt. Robert Quenery, director of the PRO-7.

Brigader General Fancisco Delfin, Assistant Commander of the Third Infantry Battalion, said the mountain areas in the region also remained peaceful.

“Ongoing operations to prevent untoward incident and continue as planned. Walang reports ng armed group activities even here in Bohol and Cebu," Delfin said.

Those who were deployed will remain at their assignments until the last candidate is proclaimed and the full alert status will be lifted only upon order from Camp Crame.  (FREEMAN)