Start of election day in Central Luzon orderly, peaceful

• Source:http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2016/05/09/start-election-day-central-luzon-orderly-peaceful-472608
• Monday, May 9, 2016

By Leslie Anne Mahusay

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The Commission on Elections announced Monday that the start and opening of elections in Central Luzon was generally orderly and peaceful.

In a morning press briefing at Camp Olivas here, Comelec Assistant Regional Director Emmanuel Igancio said that around 6:30 a.m., 100 percent of polling centers in the region opened and started accepting voters.

Although some 27 vote-counting machines (VCMs) malfunctioned (38 as of press time) and caused delay in several towns and cities in Central Luzon provinces, these were immediately acted upon by the Comelec and Board of Election Inspectors.

Initially, six malfunctioned VCMs were reported in Pampanga, five in Tarlac, four each in Aurora and Angeles City, three each in Bulacan and Nueva Ecija and one each in Bataan and Zambales.

However, the Comelec assured that the incident will not affect the counting of ballots and said that there are enough VCMs on stand by.

Meanwhile, Regional Election Monitoring Action Center Chief PSupt. Donato Bait said that they have recorded 15 election-related incidents in the region since Monday.

These include violation of the liquor ban, an armed encounter in Nueva Ecija, a mauling incident in Tarlac and a grave threat in Bulacan.

Bait added there are also violations of the Omnibus Election Code in Bulacan, one physical injury, a direct assault and slander and strafing in Bataan, a shooting incident in Tarlac and two alleged vote buying in Bulacan and Angeles City.

The incidents, said Bait, are currently under investigation.