Rivals' supporters fight over PCOS location

Army soldiers on Sunday had to keep apart supporters of rival mayoral candidates in Buldon, Maguindanao who were "haggling and fighting" about where the precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines should be located, according to foreign observers who witnessed the commotion. The machines had just been delivered by the Commission on Elections (Comelec). Involved in the incident were supporters of candidate Faith Ruth Pembayabaya “Tata" Tomawis of the Aksyon party and those of independent candidate Ibrahim Manalao “Oting" Tucas, the Compact International Observers Mission (IOM), a group of 18 foreign observes from the US, Asia, and Europe, said in a preliminary report. "One group wanted the PCOS machines to be set up inside the schools, while another group wanted to set up the machines outside of the Department of Education building," according to the Compact-IOM’s report. In an interview with GMANews.TV, Emman Hizon of the Compact-IOM said some people from the unruly crowd repeatedly kicked one PCOS machine and permanently damaged it. The Comelec delivered on Sunday 28 PCOS machines for 25 polling precincts in Buldon town in Maguindanao province. Hizon added Smartmatic-TIM has yet to decide whether to replace the damaged PCOS machine. Of the 28, three were supposed to be spare machines. "One of the groups contended that members of the Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) are not teachers, creating doubts as to their neutrality," the report said. - VS/HS, GMANews.TV