More PCOS machines, official ballots arrive for Negros Oriental and Siquijor

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines   â€“ Another shipment of more than 200 Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines, official ballots and other election paraphernalia for the May 13 mid-term elections arrived in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental on Friday.

They were transported in four container vans by official courier, 2GO, from Bacolod City, Negros Occidental to Dumaguete City.

The convoy, with 19 police escorts, departed Bacolod City around 3 a.m. and arrived in Dumaguete City around 9:45 a.m. Friday, according to Supt. Carlos Lacuesta, who led the police security team.

Officials of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) here said the transport and delivery of these election equipment and materials by the 2GO cargo forwarder has accounted for all the PCOS machines intended for Negros Oriental and Siquijor.

It was not immediately known whether reserved units for contingency had also arrived in Friday’s delivery as the container vans have yet to be opened and inventoried for their contents.

Atty. Jerome Brillantes, Dumaguete City election officer, said he believes that aside from the PCOS machines and official ballots, other items such as ballot boxes could also be in these container vans.

An early shipment this week showed that 266 PCOS machines were lacking and still to be delivered to the cargo forwarder’s provincial hub for all election paraphernalia in Dumaguete. Based on the ratio of one PCOS machine per one clustered precinct, Negros Oriental is to have 1,076 units while Siquijor with 142.

As to the official ballots allocated for the two provinces, it has yet to be determined whether they arrived in one shipment, as accounting by the provincial, city and municipal treasurers have to be carried out yet, said Atty. Juvenal Tuale, acting provincial election supervisor of Negros Oriental.

Atty. Tuale met with the provincial, city and municipal treasurers on Friday to discuss the arrival of the official ballots as well as other concerns related to the elections next month.

Tuale disclosed that 2GO wanted the official ballots to be immediately delivered to their intended destinations but the treasurers declined.

The treasurers said they needed time to invite the political candidates, political parties and the citizens’ arms, like the National Movement For Free Elections and the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, to witness the inventory of the official ballots.

Atty. Tuale said there will be no extra official ballots for the May 13 automated polls, as only one ballot is allocated per voter.

Negros Oriental has a total of 722,265 registered voters while Siquijor province has 17,731 registered voters, official COMELEC records show.

In the meantime, the official ballots will be kept at the holding area inside the 2GO warehouse in Dumaguete City.

Tuale expressed confidence the PCOS machines, official ballots and other election materials are safe in the warehouse of 2GO, with police personnel deployed to secure these items.

The COMELEC in the province is already about 95 percent ready for the May 13 elections, according to Tuale who added it is just a matter of time.  (FREEMAN)