Special polls failed in 30 Lanao Sur villages

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said yesterday that special barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls “failed” in more than 30 of 200 villages in Lanao del Sur last Friday.

“But we are still in the process of verifying all claims of failure (of elections),” Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said.

The Comelec held special barangay and SK polls in 370 villages in Pasay City, Abra, Palawan, Masbate, Capiz, Sorsogon, Northern Samar, Zamboanga Sibugay, Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Shariff Kabunsuan, Lanao del Sur, and Sulu.

Lanao del Sur, Shariff Kabunsuan and Sulu accounted for the most number of election-related violent incidents during the regular barangay and SK polls last Oct. 29, resulting in the declaration of failure of elections in the affected barangays.

Jimenez said winning candidates have been proclaimed in barangays in Pasay City, Abra, Masbate, Northern Samar, Lanao del Norte, and Buadiposo-buntong and Taraka in Lanao del Sur.

He said the special elections were “generally peaceful,” adding that in Sulu, all polling precincts functioned as local election officials and residents refused to “bow down to terrorist threats and intimidation and persevered toward attaining peaceful special polls.”

Acting Comelec chairman Resurreccion Borra said poll officials would meet to identify the barangays where there was failure of elections again.

“We have to discuss if we will hold another special elections (in these areas),” Borra said.