Failure of elections the bane of 5 Lanao Sur towns since '98

Published May 28, 2007 11:47pm

In the May 14 elections, at least 100,000 voters from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) were not able to vote after polls failed to take place in the 13 municipalities of Lanao del Sur, and in some parts of Shariff Kabunsuan, Sulu, Basilan, and Tawi-tawi.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec), through Resolution No. 8060, declared failure of elections in the towns of Pualas, Butig, Lumbatan, Marogong, Kapatagan, Sultan Dumalondong, Lumbayanague, Kapai, Madalum, Lumba-Bayabao, Masiu, Binidayan, and Bayang, as well as some precincts in Taraka, Tamparan, and Marantao, all in Lanao del Sur.

PROVINCE	TOWN	# OF BRGYS & PRECINCTS AFFECTED	# of votes	Remarks
Lanao del Sur	Pualas		6,185
	Butig		8,564
	Lumbatan		7,393	7393
	Marogong		8,467
	Kapatagan		7,490
	Sultan Dumalondong		3,983	3983
	Lumbayanague		5,733
	Kapai		5,741
	Madalum		7,136	7136
	Lumba-Bayabao		9,174	9174
	Masiu		10,966
	Binidayan		6,348
	Bayang		9,049	9049
	Taraka	1 precinct in Borowa	200
	Taraka	1 precinct in Sundig	200
	Taraka	1 precincts in Bucalan	200
	Tamparan	1 precincts in Raya Buadi-Barao	200
	Tamparan	1 clustered precincts in Brgy. Raya Buadi-barao	200
	Tamparan	1 clustered precinct in Brgy. Pindulonan Moritao Sarip	200
	Marantao	5 precincts in Brgy. Mantapoli	1,000
	Marantao	4 precincts in Brgy. Pantaynas	800
	Marantao	4 precincts in Lubo Lininding	800
	Marantao	5 precincts in Tuca Kialdan	1,000
	Marantao	2 precincts in Lumbaca Kialdan	400
	Marantao	2 precincts in Kialdan Proper	400
	Marantao	3 precincts in Madanding	600
	Marantao	2 precincts in Lumbaca Unayan	400
Shariff Kabunsuan	Barira		11,919
Sulu	Indanan	13 brgys
Basilan	Akbar	2 precincts in Brgy. Caddayan	400
	Akbar	3 precincts in Brgy. Paguengan	600
	Sumisip	5 precincts in Brgy. Bacong	1,000
	Tuburan	1 precints in Brgy. Upper Sinangkapan	200
Tawi-tawi	Tandubas	2 precincts in Brgy. Naungan	400

Failure of elections usually occur when precincts failed to function or when members of the board of election inspectors fail to report to work on the day of elections, usually due to violent incidents. Of the 13 Lanao del Sur towns, five have always had failure of elections since 1998: Madalum, Lumbatan, Lumba-Bayabao, Bayang, and Sultan Dumalondong. The towns of Bayang, Madalum, Lumbatan, and Sultan Dumalondong are also areas with consistent reports of poll fraud. Bayang and Lumba-Bayabao are also consistent election hotspots.

Two of these five towns reflected remarkable increases in the number of registered voters from 2004 to 2007. Sultan Dumalondong recorded a 171.88% increase in the number of registered voters, the highest in the country, while Madalum placed second with 107.93% increase.

Site of failure of election (since 1998)	Registered voters 2004	Registered Voters 2007	% increase
Madalum**	3,432	7,136	107.93
Lumbatan	5,409	7,393	36.68
Lumba-Bayabao	5,671	9,174	61.77
Bayang	7,625	9,049	18.68
Sultan Dumalondong*	1,465	3,983	171.88

*recorded highest increase in the number of registered voters from 2004-2007 ** recorded second highest increase in the number of registered voters from 2004 â€“ 2007 Lanao del Sur was mentioned in the Hello Garci tapes. It was also identified as fraud ridden in the report presented by election technolofy expert Roberto Verzola to the Citizens' Congress for Truth and Accountability. The Comelec scheduled special elections in Lanao del Sur last Saturday, May 23. It pushed through in most of the municipalities, but had to be moved to Sunday in the three towns of Butig, Pualas and Lumba-Bayabao due to poll-related violent incidents that broke out hours before the special polls. Meanwhile, the Comelec has yet to issue a declaration of failure of elections in some parts of Shariff Kabunsuan, Sulu, Basilan, and Tawi-tawi. - GMANews Research

Tags: elections2007, lanaodelsur, comelec, specialpolls