Fire disrupts voting in Manila

MANILA, Philippines — Voting was briefly disrupted yesterday morning after a fire struck a polling precinct in Malate, Manila.

The fire was reported at the Aurora Elementary School along San Andres street.

Faulty wiring reportedly caused the blaze, which burned a ceiling fan, according to the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP).

The fire lasted for 10 minutes only, the BFP said.

The electoral process was disrupted since the vote counting machines (VCMs) had to be taken out of the building.

Voters were evacuated and the VCMs and ballots were secured.

Voting resumed at another polling precinct. No VCMs were damaged by the fire, according to the BFP.

In Sta. Mesa, Manila, senior citizens had difficulty climbing up to the fourth floor of the P. Burgos Elementary School where they cast their ballots.

Power outage

In Valenzuela, a power outage struck a polling precinct in the city yesterday.

Power was shut off at Gen. Tiburcio de Leon Elementary School at past 8 a.m. It is the biggest polling center in Valenzuela, with 136 out of 343 clustered precincts.

The power interruption lasted for at least 30 minutes, reports said.

Alberto Guevarra, chairman of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, said the power outage did not hinder the electoral process as voters continued to cast their votes.

“The VCMs have back-up batteries,” he said.

A report said a power transformer near the school exploded, causing the power outage.

Meanwhile, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said it had solved the problem of the incomplete processing of the digital signatures of more than 800 public school teachers in Quezon City.

The DICT said it issued the digital signatures of teachers who served during yesterday’s elections.

Local polls

In Pasig, Mayor Vico Sotto cast his vote in Valle Verde 5.

He urged residents not to abandon their chance to vote amid malfunctioning VCMs.

Local officials of Pasay, Parañaque and Muntinlupa also cast their votes.

Pasay Mayor Emi Rubiano, who is seeking reelection, voted at the Pasay East High School.

Parañaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez and his brother Rep. Eric Olivarez voted at the city’s National High School.

The brothers are looking to swap positions.

Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon, who is running for mayor, cast his ballot at the De La Salle Zobel school in Barangay Ayala Alabang.

Mayor Jaime Fresnedi voted at Villa Carolina 1 in Barangay Tunasan. He is running for congressman.

In Marikina, Mayor Marcelino Teodoro is hopeful that his performance during the COVID-19 pandemic and Typhoon Ulysses would give him another term as the city’s chief executive.

Teodoro cast his vote yesterday at the San Roque Elementary School together with his wife, Marjorie Ann, who is running for congresswoman of the city’s first district.

Teodoro’s rival, first district Rep. Bayani Fernando, voted at Monte Vista Subdivision in Barangay Industrial Valley.

Teodoro received the endorsement of the Iglesia ni Cristo, a religious sect known for its bloc voting.

A survey conducted by RP-Mission and Development Foundation Inc. from April 17 to 21 showed Teodoro leading by 58 percent against Fernando’s 38 percent. – Neil Jayson Servallos, Ghio Ong, Emmanuel Tupas, Cecille Suerte Felipe