Comelec: Maguindanao plebiscite yields 2nd highest province-wide voter turnout

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Sunday said the Maguindanao plebiscite held Saturday would pose the second highest voter turnout for province-wide plebiscites, with over 700,000 voters or 80.84%.

In a message to reporters, acting poll spokesperson Rex Laudiangco said the voter turnout for the Maguindanao plebiscite, which was held to determine whether the province will be divided into two, was the highest next to the electoral exercise that carved the Compostela Valley from Davao del Norte in 1998.

However, he pointed out that the Maguindanao plebiscite was the most participated-in plebiscite province-wide in terms of total number of registered voters and total number of voters who actually voted.

“ComVal registered voters then is a little over 200,000 only,” Laudiangco said.

Based on the official plebiscite municipal canvass of votes provided by the Comelec on Sunday morning, there were 712,857 out of 881,790 or 80.84% voters who actually voted in the Maguindanao plebiscite.

The poll body said the total number of “yes” votes to split the province were at 707,651 or 99.27%. Meanwhile, the “no” votes were at 5,206 or 0.73%.

The breakdown per proposed province showed that Maguindanao del Norte, with 12 municipalities, had 330,345 voters.

Of this number, 328,141 or 99.33% voted for yes, while 2,204 or 0.67% voted for no.

On the other hand, Maguindanao del Sur, with 24 municipalities, had 382,512 voters.

Of this number, 379,510 or 99.22% voted for yes, while 3,002 or 0.78% voted for no.

These are all still subject to the full official canvass by the Plebiscite Provincial Board of Canvassers.

Asked where the high voter turnout could be attributed, Comelec chairman George Garcia on Sunday said, “People are not afraid to cast their votes. They trust the process so much.”

In a Super Radyo dzBB interview, Garcia said the proclamation may be done before noon on Sunday.

“Kung sakaling dumating na bago mag-8 a.m. ang lahat ng canvass results mula sa iba’t ibang munisipyo…expectedly bago mag-12 p.m. matatapos ang ating canvassing and hopefully makapagproklama na tayo ‘pag dumating ang katanghalian ng araw na ito,” he said.

(If all the canvass results from different municipalities arrive before 8 a.m., we can proclaim before 12 p.m. Our canvassing will be finished then, and hopefully we can proclaim before noon today.) —KG, GMA News