Voting ends near midnight in Cebu town

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Voting ends near midnight in Cebu town
Cordova town in Cebu extends voting due to 'misdelivered' ballots. Citizen journalists report vote buying and poll violations in northern Cebu and a VCM mishap in Lapu-Lapu City

CEBU, Philippines – Cordova town in Cebu had to extend voting for over 700 people after 10 ballots were misdelivered to Dalaguete in southern Cebu and ballots from Dalaguete ended up in Cordova. 

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Regional Director Jose Nick Mendros originally said that they would have to hold a special election for the voters who were affected by what Mendros describes as a “misdelivery.”

Comelec personnel were riding with police to announce to residents that voting had been extended.

Provincial Comelec Director Eliseo Labaria said at about 4:30 pm that voting would be extended to accommodate those who were assigned to the precinct with the wrong ballots.

Polls in Cordova ended at around 11 pm.

Vote buying accusations

Meanwhile in Medellin, LP mayoralty bet Joven “Benjun” Mondigo is accused of giving out envelopes with P500 cash inside and pamphlets of the LP line-up on April 8Sunday.

According to a voter who allegedly received an envelope, the mayoralty bet’s team visited the sitios of the town some time in April. They listed the names of voters and told them to not leave their houses on May 8. The teams promised to deliver the envelopes house-to-house.

Inspector Fermin Donque Jr. Chief of Medellin’s Police Station said they had not received a report of the incident.

VCM mishaps
MANUAL VOTING? Tensions erupt after a machine breaks down and BEIs ask for ballots to be counted manually. Photo by Cheanne Cadelina

Malfunctioning of VCM machines in Pusok Elementary School , Lapu-Lapu caused voters to wait in line for a long time under the hot sun, with some becoming visibly irritated.

According to the assigned coordinator of the precinct, the machine malfunctioned at around 8:15 am, and was repaired.

But around 1 pm, the machine broke down and the BEI asked voters to proceed with manual voting and counting.

This caused tensions to flare in the precinct.

But the Chairman of Poll watchers from PDP Laban Lapu-Lapu Chapter protested the BEI’s move and protested.

Mrs. Marissa Toledo argued, “akong pangutuna, nganong ilang gi-continue ang voting kung guba ang VCM” (why did they continue the voting if the VCM was malfunctioning). The BEI coordinator said that they asked permission from the Comelec to offer the waiver. 

Emotions eventually settled down and voters agreed to proceed with manual voting and counting.

Poll violations 

CANDIES. Local candidates allegedly gave out candies with names of candidates outside of a precinct in northern Cebu


Voters wearing printed shirts of the Liberal Party’s iconic yellow ribbon were reportedly seen lining up at 5 polling centers in Bogo City, Cebu.

Some identified themselves as liners and poll watchers.

District 4 C-Cimpel (Cebu’s watchdog) coordinator Grace Bualat said that liners and poll watchers are allowed to wear collaborated shirts, laniards and identification cards to establish their precinct roles.

KODIGO. These papers were allegedly handed outside a precinct in northern Cebu by campaigners in yellow t-shirts. Photo by Richale Cabauatan

She said, however, that not all wearing the LP shirts are liners and poll watchers. There were those who came just to vote.

According to election rules, voters are not allowed to wear nor bring campaign materials into the precinct on election day.

The designated Members of Election Inspectors at the precincts admitted that they’ve been too busy monitoring voting to monitor who are violating election rules.

Around 7 am, people wearing LP shirts were reportedly at the entrance of the 5 polling centers giving out candies with pamphlets of LP lineup to voters going into the precincts. – with reports from Richale Cabauatan, Chainne Cadelina, Moises Jan Moises Alarcon and Sun.Star Superbalita/Rappler.com

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