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COTABATO CITY, Philippines (3rd UPDATE) – As the Bangsamoro people rose early to cast their ballots, the largest voting center in this city opened late for the Bangsamoro plebiscite on Monday, January 21.
Delays such as this, on top of alleged intimidation and vote buying, marred the Bangsamoro plebiscite in various precincts on Monday.
Hundreds of voters gathered outside the Lugay-Lugay Central School which has about 10,000 registered voters from Barangays Bagua Mother and Bagua 1. But a few minutes after 7 am gates were still closed to voters as teachers rode into the school, escorted by uniformed security.
Voting was scheduled to take place on Monday from 7 am to 3 pm.
At about 7:15 am barangay poll watchers also requested to be let in.
According to the school’s principal Zobaida Suvilla, gates were opened later than expected since ballot boxes meant for another barangay had been brought to the voting center.
Suvilla told Rappler that 3 ballot boxes meant for Barangay Bagua II had been found in a classroom during final checks. This delayed the opening on the voting center as security escorts that would transport the ballot had not yet arrived.
It was only at about 7:30 am that voters themselves were let into the school.
Suvilla said the extra ballot boxes were kept in the meantime and to be handed over to its escorts upon their arrival.
More than 2.8 million people were expected to take part in the historic vote to create the Bangsamoro Region. Over 113,000 of registered voters come from Cotabato City.
Voting also started late at the Cotabato City Institute voting center where about 2,600 voters from Barangay Poblacion I were registered.
According to Cotabato City Police Inspector Mary Jane Calanag, who was stationed at the voting center, ballots arrived at about 7:05 am. She said voting then started almost an hour later at 7:59 am.
Calanag said the delayed start of voting was not the norm for elections in Cotabato City.
“Ngayon lang na-late sa dami ko nang eleksyon,” Calanag said. (In all the elections I’ve served in, its only now we started this late.)
Another voting center, Vilo Elementary School, also opened voting late. Community poll watchers said this was due to the delayed arrival of ballot boxes, which came past 7 am on Monday.
The delays affected 24 out of 374 precincts in Cotabato City, which cover around 8,000 voters, said Comelec Spokesman James Jimenez.
Rey Sumalipao, Comelec chief in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), said he has requested from the Comelec’s main office in Manila for an extension of voting hours. Voting is currently scheduled to end at 3 pm.
On Twitter, election watchdog Lente called the attention of Comelec on security issues hounding the Bangsamoro plebiscite.
“Comelec, please also advise security forces not to require ID at the gate of the Cotabato Chinese Institute,” Lente said in a tweet.
Lente also relayed a message from the Bangsamoro Free Election Movement: “Calling on the Comelec to immediately pull out the presence of barangay officials inside the polling centers and precincts.They are all over the voting centers and controlling entry of voters under the watch of PNP and military.”
Jimenez said that as of 9:48 am on Monday, voting was 100% open in Basulta (Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi), Maguindanao, and Isabela City.
Meanwhile, voting was 97.5% open in Lanao del Sur.
The Comelec was still awaiting information from Cotabato as of posting time.
Sumalipao said at around noon that Monday’s plebiscite is peaceful in general. “For the moment even in Cotabato City, I heard no violation of our peace and order, except for some glitches,” Sumalipao said.
On the eve of the Bangsamoro plebiscite, however, unidentified suspects hurled at least one grenade inside the enclosed Cotabato City home of Maguindanao Municipal Trial Court Judge Rasalan.
Suspicions swirled that the attack was linked to Monday’s plebiscite, but cops on Monday said they suspect it was fueled by a personal grudge. – with reports from Paterno Esmaquel II /Rappler.com
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