Special polls in ARMM towns ‘generally peaceful’ – poll official

Special elections held in nine towns in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) proceeded "peacefully" and without major security and technical problems, a poll official said on Thursday. Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rene Sarmiento said this was based on reports from poll officials and members of non-government organizations in Lanao del Sur and Basilan provinces, where special elections were ongoing as of posting time. "We encountered no technical and security problems in these places... Voting proceeded smoothly, despite some distractions," Sarmiento said at a press briefing in Manila. Sarmiento said the only report of election-related violence so far was an explosion near a polling place in Bayang town in Lanao del Sur. "This explosion is only minor and did not affect the electoral process... Military and police officials are currently investigating the cause of the blast," he said. A man was also arrested in a polling place in Basilan for claiming that he was a member of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV). "He was caught with a bolo and 49 pieces of P50 bills, probably used to bribe voters. He was ejected from the polling place and is being investigated," he said. Sarmiento said that since the special polls are going smoothly, he expects proclamations in these areas to be done by midnight Thursday. He however added that election results in these areas will only be delivered manually by police trainees as members of the board of election inspectors to the municipal board of canvassers. “There will be no more electronic transmissions, primarily to save on costs," he said. About 80,256 registered voters are expected to cast their votes during Thursday’s special elections, according to Sarmiento. This figure is not likely to affect election results for president, vice-president and senators, but will have an impact on local and party-list elections, he said. Failure of elections was declared last month in nine ARMM towns, as well as in Western Samar and Sarangani, primarily due to hostilities in these areas. [See: Comelec mulls election failure in 11 areas] Municipalities and villages where special elections are currently being conducted are Lumba Bayabao, Lumbaca Unayan, Marogong, Masiu, Sultan Domalondong, Tubaran, and Bayang in Lanao del Sur; barangays Danapah, Kailih, Bato-Bato, Apil-Apil, Bucalao, Sangkahan, Cambug, and Look Bisaya in Al Barka, and barangays Upper and Lower Mahaybahay in Maluso, both in Basilan; Brgy. Buenas Aires in Pagsangjan, Western Samar; and barangay Poblacion in Gian, Saranggani. Elections were initially scheduled there Friday last week but were moved because Muslims consider Friday to be a sacred day. — LBG/KBK, GMANews.TV