Comelec: Elections fail in 2 villages in Basilan town

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday declared a failure of elections in two villages in Sumisip town, Basilan following a case of ballot snatching in the area even before the voting started. In a press briefing, Comelec acting director for ARMM Teopisto Elnas Jr said the failure of elections was declared in Brgys. Tumahubong and Baiwas in Sumisip town after still unidentified men snatched ballot boxes from elections officers while on their way to the voting precincts. "As per report of the provincial election supervisor, an unidentified armed group snatched the ballot boxes. The Marines and PNP (Philippine National Police) are now trying to establish the identity of the group," Elnas said. Melo said they will wait the the results of the elections in the town to determine whether there is need to call for a special elections in the affected villages. Tumahubong and Baiwas have a total of 1,896 registered voters. The ballot snatching in Sumisip is one of two incidents of ballot snatching reported in the region. Comelec said a second case of ballot snatching also occurred in Barira in Shariff Kabunsuan. Comelec chair Jose Melo said authorities were able to recover the three ballot boxes snatched by an armed group, allowing elections officers in the area to push through with the elections. In a related development, ARMM police director Chief Superintendent Joel Goltiao said three people belonging to the group that snatched three ballot boxes in Shariff Kabunsuan, were arrested by police operatives. Goltiao said the suspects were intercepted and subsequently arrested around 9:30 a.m. in Parang town, Shariff Kabunsuan. He, however, withheld the suspects' identities and their affiliation. The police official said the suspects held elections officers at gunpoint and carted away three ballot boxes around 8:30 a.m. in Brgy. Togaig, Barira town. Goltiao said policemen were immediately deployed to track down the suspects and caught up with them in the town of Parang. He said the three ballot boxes were immediately returned to Brgy. Tugaig to pave the way for the conduct of elections in the three precincts in the village. Despite these cases of ballot snatching, Goltiao said the conduct of the elections in the ARMM has so far been generally peaceful. The ARMM comprises of the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Shariff Kabunsuan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi with 1,516,259 registered voters. The PNP deployed 7,596 policemen while the Armed Forces deployed 11,418 soldiers to ensure a peaceful and orderly conduct of the elections Monday in the ARMM. - GMANews.TV