Comelec: 99.95% of precincts done with final VCM testing, sealing

A total of 106,125 out of 106,174 or 99.95% of the clustered precincts have finished the final testing and sealing of vote counting machines (VCMs) that will be used for the 2022 elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Monday.

In a press conference on election day before precincts opened, Comelec acting spokesperson Atty. John Rex Laudiangco said 49 precincts have yet to submit reports.

Of this number, 47 were from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

There were precincts in Socorro, Oriental Mindoro and Silvino Lobos, Northern Samar that were also not able to finish the final testing and sealing of VCMs on Sunday night due to lack of test ballots, he said.

Instead of the usual 10 test ballots, Laudiangco said these areas would be using three ballots, as approved by the poll body. 

“The rest of the regions from the NCR, CAR, Regions 1, 2, 3, 4A, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12 ,13 are 100% all have undergone FTS. All systems go, our electoral boards are in place, we already have the ballots,” Laudiangco said.

Meanwhile, Laudiangco said one VCM in Cotabato City had a slight problem but stressed that voting would still push through in the area.

Last Thursday, Cotabato City Mayor Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi said teachers were protesting when their names were removed from the list of electoral board members and replaced with other educators who did not undergo training for the election job.

She claimed that the office of the Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education of the BARMM first replaced the superintendent before removing the teachers, and that the ministry was allegedly the one dictating on the election officer in making the list of electoral board members.

Asked why the teachers refused to serve, Laudiangco said, “Because of the confusion, because of the gulo at saka ‘yung iba [the mess and others], they feel threatened and they are not safe.”

He said security forces were increased in the area due to this, with the military even airlifting one whole battalion to the area. —KBK, GMA News