By The Philippines News Agency
MANILA, (PNA) – President Benigno Aquino III led his countrymen Monday in the first barangay polls, under cloudy to overcast skies, since he ascended to power in 2010, only five months after the 2013 mid-term elections.
Except in previously designated areas where the elections were postponed to a later date – because of natural calamities – precincts in 42,000 barangays opened with the more than 50 million voters pouring to their respective polling booths which closed at 3 p.m., or eight hours after they opened across the country.
Barangay elections have been postponed in Zamboanga City, where residents are still recovering from a stand-off between government troops and rebels from the Moro National Liberation Front last month, and some areas of Bohol and Cebu, hit by a deadly tremor this month that killed at least 215 people and destroyed infrastructure projects and collapsed about a dozen religious structures in the two provinces.
The elections – which at times pitted relatives against each other for the post of barangay chairman and even barangay councilmen or “kagawad” – have been described by security authorities as generally peaceful although the Philippine National Police said the elections have claimed the lives of 22 people in various violent incidents.
According to statistics from the PNP, more than 60 election-related violent incidents have been recorded thus far.
Aside from the 22 dead, 27 have been injured in these incidents while eight have been reported missing.
Police have also arrested 593 people for violating the gun ban and 121 arrested for violating the liquor ban.
The PNP has been on full alert since Friday last week to make sure Monday’s elections are peaceful and orderly.”Ang (PNP) national head quarters po ay may nakahandang reactionary standby support force na 3,679 na pwedeng ideploy to any part of the country at any given time,” said Sr. Supt. Reuben Sindac, PNP spokesperson.
The President cast his vote in Barangay Central in Tarlac City after his arrival four hours after the precincts opened to voters and candidates nationwide.
The President, with a prepared list of candidates on which he based his vote, arrived at his polling precinct in Central Azucarera de Tarlac Elementary School in the Tarlac capital city, where he also voted last May.
Wearing a blue shirt, the President cast his vote at Precinct 175-A, the same precinct where his sisters Maria Elena “Ballsy” Cruz and Aurora “Pinky” Corazon-Abellada along with their spouses Eldon Cruz and Manuel Antonio Abellada, respectively, also cast their votes.
Ballsy’s sons Eldon Gulio Cruz and Justin Benigno Cruz were also present.
The President was number 5 among the 287 registered voters at his precinct.
The President, through manual voting, selected among the two candidates for barangay captain and 25 candidates for barangay kagawad in Barangay Central.
Tarlac City has the most number of voters in Tarlac province with 2,762 voters.
A total of 94,124 candidates are running for barangay captain while 715,012 are running for barangay kagawad in the entire country based on the data from the Commission on Elections.
In Metro Manila, Vice President Jejomar Binay and his family cast their votes at the San Antonio National High School in Barangay San Antonio, Makati City at around 10 am.
The vice president, accompanied by his wife former Makati City Mayor Elenita Binay, voted in a polling desk for senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs) at the lobby of the school.
They were assisted by the Board of Election Inspector Chairwoman Wilma Paz and other members of the board.
According to official figures, there are 94,124 candidates vying for the 42,028 barangay chairmen positions and 715,012 betting for the 29,196 barangay councilmen posts from batanes to Mindanao in the country’s far south.
Apart from polling centers, “Voting in the Malls” project was also launched aimed at making polling places more accessible to senior citizens and voters with disabilities.
In Mindanao, voting was particularly hampered in South Cotabato by severe floods.
Voters were reminded that the liquor ban, which took effect at midnight Sunday, will remain in force until midnight Monday.
In related developments, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it will not allow unscrupulous individuals creating a “failure of election” scenario to create a “holdover” situation.
With this, the poll body issued Comelec Resolution 9800, which states the reasons why an area or areas should be declared as having a failure of election.
It said that “failure of election” declared in a particular barangay due to “violence, terrorism or other analogous cases” may result to it being placed under Comelec Control.
“The Commission resolves to declare ‘failure of election’ caused by violence, terrorism or other analogous cases as additional ground for placing any political division under Comelec control in connection with the October 28 barangay election,” the resolution added.
The poll body explained that once placed under Comelec Control, the area will be placed under the commission’s “immediate and direct control and supervision”.
In the event of a Comelec Control being declared, a poll official shall be designated as Task Force Head and shall have as members a representative from the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Hold over officials refer to barangay officials who will be serving beyond the November 30 expiration of their terms of office.
For his part, Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. noted that they will not tolerate holdover situations.