MANILA, Philippines – Results of the 2023 barangay elections have been finalized in all 42,001 villages, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Wednesday, November 1, two days after Filipinos headed to the polls to cast their ballots.

“100% complete voting and canvassing nationwide. No failure of election,” Comelec Chairman George Garcia announced on Wednesday.

The poll body previously described the conduct of the polls as “generally peaceful,” although eight barangays in the southern Philippines were unable to hold voting on Monday, October 30, due to apparent violence that delayed the delivery and distribution of poll materials to voting centers.

The last holdout was Barangay Naguma, a far-flung village in Calbayog City, Samar province, which held its election only on Wednesday.

Security officers and poll personnel tried to deliver election paraphernalia there on Monday, but perpetrators believed to be from a criminal gang fired warning shots at them, prompting them to retreat.

On Tuesday, October 31, troops engaged in a gunfight with the same elements, resulting in the rescheduling of the polls to Wednesday.

In total, the Comelec reported 29 validated incidents of election-related violence and 19 deaths since the start of the election period in August.

The Comelec said the proclamation of winners has been completed, except for those whose proclamation has been suspended due to pending disqualification cases against them with the poll body. As of Tuesday, the number of election winners affected by this stood at 59. – Rappler.com