No final schedule yet for special elections in 14 Lanao del Sur barangays — Garcia

The Commission on Elections has yet to finalize the schedule for the special elections in 14 barangays in Lanao del Sur, Commissioner George Garcia said Friday.

Interviewed on GMA News’ Unang Balita, Garcia said the Comelec has to ensure first the security in these areas, where failure of elections were declared due to threats of violence and terrorism.

“Yung date hindi pa namin na-fi-finalize dahil nga po sa, tama po kayo, kinakailangan muna naming siguraduhin na wala na po yung violence or yung threat ng terrorism doon sa area,” he said.

(We have yet to finalize the date because, you are right, we need first to ensure that there is no more violence or threat of terrorism in the area.)

Comelec Deputy Director Executive for Operations Teopisto Elnas Jr.  requested for a conduct of special elections in 14 barangays in the municipalities of Tubaran, Binidayan, and Butig, Lanao del Sur.

Elnas recommended holding special elections in at least 12 barangays in Tubaran on May 12, while one barangay each in Butig and Binidayan on May 15.

Garcia said hot pursuit operations still continue to capture the perpetrators who stole ballots. He said the Comelec will print another batch of ballots for the special elections.

Despite the malfunctioning of some vote counting machines, Garcia said the Comelec maintained that the conduct of 2022 polls was clean.

“Hanggang sa kasalukuyan paninindigan naman ng Comelec, base din sa ating lahat ng ebidensya, at the same time kahit ang PPCRV at NAMFREL, na napakalinis at maayos ang atin pong halalan,” he said.

(Until now, the Comelec asserts, based on our evidence, at the same time even the PPCRV and NAMFREL, that our elections were clean and orderly.) — RSJ, GMA News