Few voters turn up in Lanao del Sur polling precincts - report

MANILA, Philippines - Voters' turnout on Monday in the province of Lanao del Sur was noticeably lower compared to the past elections, a television report said. Reporting over QTV’s Balitanghali, GMA News’ Maki Pulido said voters in the municipality of Bacolod Kalawi, Lanao del Sur have been showing up in small numbers since the polls opened. The report said officials of the Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) said the low voters' turnout may be due either to a lack of interest in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) elections or fear of a spillover of hostilities between the military and secessionist rebels in the province. In Madalum town, a poll precinct opened only at around noontime because election paraphernalia were distributed two hours late at 9 a.m. The delay was caused by the municipal treasurer who went back to his home in Marawi City to change his clothes, the report said. In Brgy. Cadayonan, Balindong town, voters who trooped to the voting precinct were not able to vote due to lack of election paraphernalia. “Hindi nakakaboto (ang mga tao) dahil walang ballot box at ibang election materials," an election official said. A Comelec official from the province, however, said that all election materials have already been released. “We peacefully released all ballot boxes intended for every precinct in our municipality. Walang naiwan dito," he said. - GMANews.TV