Difficulties encountered in polls in Abra

MALIBCONG, ABRA In a precinct in Abra, foreign observers report that voting takes about approximately 8 minutes for each individual. This causes long queues in the area. Compounding to this are the problems related to the official list of voters in the precinct. Difficulties encountered include names being misspelled. or ultimately being not included in the list. Moreover, there have been cases of invalid ballots in the same precinct. The said ballot were spoiled due to the irregularity of the bar code, and improper shading. Reports also indicate cases of vote buying in the area. An incumbent running candidate offers money amounting to five thousand pesos and a sack of rice. Furthermore, one person was threatened of losing his livelihood if a certain candidate fails to win the election.

Yesterday, Comelec Suprevisor Atty. Vanessa Roncal welcomed the foreign delegates as non-partisan observers in elections in Abra. She gladly catered to the questions of the delegates and explained the conduct of elections and the possibilities of fraud in the region. Moreover, in that same meeting, foreign observers also met with Lt. Col. Ignacio Madriaga of the 41st Infantry Battalion. Madriaga assured the delegates of assistance and cooperation of his troops. Click the images below for bigger versions: