Reluya camp leader dies of heart attack

CEBU, Philippines - A political leader of the Reluya camp in barangay Pitalo, San Fernando town succumbed to a heart attack.

Panfilo Canque, 49, a resident of sitio Campawog was exhausted the other day, which was believed to have triggered the heart attack.

Barangay tanod Nestor Suaren, Canque’s neighbor, said that before the incident happened, Canque went to San Fernando Elementary School to vote but suddenly felt his chest tightening.

Canque immediately went to the barangay hall to seek help from Suaren who massaged his chest.

Due to his condition, Canque was taken to South General Hospital but did not reach the hospital alive.

Suaren said Canque had worked for many nights in anticipation of the elections.

Vice mayoral candidate Ricardo “Nonoy” Reluya said an all out support will be extended to Canque’s family.

In another development, one Virgie Quidlat fainted while queuing at the Tabunok Elementary School in Talisay City.

According to a report, Quidlat was about to cast her vote when she fainted due to the extreme heat.

Meanwhile, Talisay City Commission on Elections election assistant Mariela Remoroza said there are voters in barangays Dumlog, Poblacion, and Tabunok who did not cast their votes.

Remoroza said these voters did not have the patience to look for their names in the list of voters.

In barangay Pooc, Talisay at around 4pm yesterday, one PCOS machine overheated and malfunctioned, according to Flordeliz Alueta, PCOS Technical Supervisor.

At around 2 p.m., a similar thing happened in barangay Bairan, Naga City, which temporarily stopped  the voting.

PCOS machines in barangays Alpaco and Jagimit were reported to have also malfunctioned.

According to Bertha Blaise Camomot, the election assistant in Naga City, said the voting can still continue even with malfunctioning machines.

Ballots that have been marked by voters will be placed in the ballot boxes and after the other precinct are done, the accumulated ballots will be scanned by a PCOS machine in another precinct.

However, Camomot said that under this circumstance, the voting will take a little longer.  (FREEMAN)