Bautista says Comelec more prepared now than in 2010, 2013 polls

Three days before Filipino voters troop to their precincts to choose their next set of leaders, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday said it is more prepared now than in the 2010 and 2013 elections.

Despite this, Comelec chairman Andres Bautista said in an interview on "24 Oras" that he still feels "slightly nervous" about the politicial activity.

"Medyo kinakabahan, pero sa aking palagay naman, habang aking pinag-aaralan ang nangyari sa 2010 at 2013 at sa aming pakikipag-ugnayan sa aming Comelec senior staff at field officials, sinabi nila na mas handa ang Comelec ngayon kaysa 2010 at 2013," he said.

However, Bautista acknowledged the early complaints about the voting, especially those made by Filipinos overseas who already voted during the ongoing overseas absentee voting.

Pressed about the claims made by some overseas voters regarding mismatches between their ballot and the receipt, Bautista said although they have heard about it, they have yet to receive a formal complaint.

"Well, 'yan nga po ang isa sa ating mga agam-agam, pero una-unang dito po sa mga nakikita natin sa social media na hindi tumutugma sa resibo, hanggang ngayon wala pa po kaming nakukuhang formal complaint at wala pa pong ebidensiya o pruweba na ipinapakita sa amin," he said.

"In fact, dito rin po sa Pilipinas, meron po kaming nakuhang reports na meron ding hindi pagtugma sa Lanao Del Sur, sa Mati, sa Sta. Ana, Cagayan. Pero pina-check po natin 'yan sa aming mga election officers at wala naman po silang nakitang ebidensiya," Bautista added.

Bautista also eased the worries about reports that several Board of Election Inspectors have asked to be relieved from their duties.

In place of teachers, Bautista said members of the Philippine National Police will be deployed just like in previous elections.  —Aya Tantiangco/KBK, GMA News