Special elections fail anew in 2 Lanao del Sur towns

Marawi City — Elections in at least two towns here failed anew while the delayed submission of the Certificates of Canvass (COC) in seven other towns in Lanao del Sur’s 2nd District prevented the proclamation of winning candidates on Sunday.

In Madalum town, the special election scheduled last Saturday failed as six Philippine Marine troopers refused to act as Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) together with six members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) even as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) issued an order specifying the composition of the BEI.

The Philippine Marines reportedly wanted an all-Marine BEI, according to Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) assemblyman Usman Sarangani.

In Lumba Bayabao town, special elections in at least seven precincts also failed as rival mayoral candidates refused to participate in the polls unless earlier problems, which hampered the May 10 elections in the town are resolved. Local Comelec officials decided to elevate the matter to the Comelec for resolution.

The different political parties here are still waiting for seven of the 18 towns in the second district of Lanao del Sur to submit the COCs to the Comelec headquarters here.

Alan Manalao, chief of staff of Vice Governor elect Aleem Bashier Manalao, said the late submission of COCs has prevented the Comelec from proclaming winning candidates even as they have clearly won the election based at the precinct level count.

However, the COCs are expected to be submitted in two days and the proclamation of winning candidates will proceed, Manalao added.

Meanwhile, Lanao del Sur re-elected governor Mamintal Adiong was proclaimed by the Comelec on Saturday as he posted a landslide win over his nearest political rival.