Special polls set in 8 more Lanao Sur towns

MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections will hold special polls in some precincts in eight more municipalities in Lanao del Sur where the May 10 election was declared a failure.

But Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said these special polls involve only some 12,000 voters so it would not affect the results for president and vice president.

“These special elections are significant only for the party-list in terms of the number of seats that the winning groups will occupy,” he said in a press briefing.

The affected polling precincts are situated in Buadiposo Buntong, Kapai, Marantao, Calanogas, Ganassi, Lumbatan, Pagawayan and Tugaya. No election took place in these areas on May 10 due to security concerns.

Larrazabal said the Comelec would be coordinating with the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines for the provision of security in the affected areas.

This, as the official said that the Comelec would try to finish the proclamation of 22 remaining party-list this month. The agency also intends to resolve all the pending disqualification cases against certain party-list organizations and their nominees.

Prior to this, the Comelec had already proclaimed 28 party-list groups that will occupy 35 seats in the House of Representatives.

Larrazabal said they could not complete the proclamation of all the winning party-list groups because they still have to wait for the results of the special elections.