'Missing' names on voters' list, sample ballots among issues in BSKE 2023 — PPCRV

Missing names on voters’ list and distribution of sample ballots were among the challenges monitored during the conduct of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), a poll watchdog said on Monday.

At the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) national coordinator Dr. Arwin Serrano said the polls were generally peaceful despite these issues.

“Meron lang mga pailan-ilan na mga reported incidents na nag-attempt na mag-campaign by distribution of sample ballots and mga leaflets bearing the name of candidates kasi bawal na iyon,” he said.

(There were just some reported incidents of attempts to campaign by distributing sample ballots and leaflets bearing the names of candidates, which is prohibited.)

“Meron din mga ilang nangyayari pa rin very perennial problem natin iyong hindi nila makita ang mga pangalan nila sa talaan ng mga botante,” he added.

(There were still incidents, our very perennial problem, that some voters cannot find their names on voters’ lists.)

According to Serrano, some names were missing because some voters were transferred to different voting centers due to re-clustering and newly established voting centers.

Over 250,000 volunteers from the PPCRV have been deployed to monitor the conduct of the BSKE and assist voters, Serrano said.

Serrano also noted some incidents of violence in some parts of the country on Election Day.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police General Benjamin Acorda Jr. on Monday said the situation in election areas of concern had been manageable so far despite some incidents.

Acorda said that “peace and order have been observed” in areas under the control of the Commission of Elections (Comelec) which are Negros Oriental and Libon, Albay.

“Our dedicated personnel are strategically positioned in areas under Comelec control such as Libon, Albay and Negros Oriental where relative peace and order have been observed,” Acorda said.

“Our forces remained on high alert in other areas with security concerns. While there are significant incidents noted in these areas, the current situation remains manageable,” he added.

A total of 169 reported incidents of violence suspected to be related to the BSKE have been monitored, the PNP said.

Only 31 of these reported incidents have been confirmed to be related to the BSKE, while 94 have been confirmed to be unrelated. There are 44 incidents that are still undergoing the validation process.

Of the 31 confirmed incidents connected with the elections, Acorda said most of them were reported in Bangsamoro with 12 cases, followed by Cordillera with five, and Northern Mindanao with four.

Three cases were reported in Ilocos and Eastern Visayas, two cases in the Bicol Region and Central Visayas. One case was reported in Zamboanga. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News

------------------------------------------------

Follow GMA News Online’s live updates of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE 2023) by clicking on this link.