TARLAC CITY , Philippines – President Aquino was fifth on the list of 287 registered voters in precinct 175-A at the Central Azucarera de Tarlac Elementary School here.
The President did not say a word to the media, but a resident who voted along with Aquino in the same precinct managed to talk to him and was promised medical assistance.
It was the same precinct where Aquino cast his vote in the midterm elections last May.
Presidential sisters Maria Elena “Ballsy†Cruz and Aurora “Pinky†Corazon Abellada also voted in the same precinct yesterday along with their spouses Eldon Cruz and Manuel Antonio Abellada.
The President, in blue shirt, was welcomed by Maj. Gen. Gregorio Catapang Jr., commander of the Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom); Tarlac provincial election supervisor Fernando Cot-om, and Tarlac provincial police director Superintendent Alfred Corpuz. The members of the first family only stayed for more than 10 minutes.
While inside the precinct, a voter named Domingo Simon said he told the President he was in pain because of stones in his gall bladder and kidneys.
Simon told reporters he would be brought to a physician next week and Malacañang would shoulder his hospital bills as promised by Aquino.
“Today I think I got a new lease on life. Maybe I will no longer be around in the next elections, but today I’m in high spirits because I got much help,†a grateful Simon said in Filipino.
The President was number five among the 287 registered voters in his precinct. Aquino, through manual voting, selected from among the two candidates for barangay captain and 25 candidates for barangay councilors here.
He had a prepared list of candidates of his choice. Tarlac City has the most number of voters in Tarlac province with 2,762 voters.
A total of 94,124 candidates were running for barangay captain across the country and 715,012 for councilor, based on data from the Commission on Elections. Ding Cervantes, Ric Sapnu