BOL plebiscite: Comelec eyeing better than 75% voter turnout

MANILA, Philippines – Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesperson James Jimenez on Tuesday said the poll body is hoping that the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) plebiscite on February 6 in parts of Mindanao will have a voter turnout higher than 75 percent.

Jimenez, in a press briefing, said that despite the recent cases of violence in Mindanao, the Comelec hopes that the second round of the BOL plebiscite would be a success.

“The January 21 plebiscite was a success and we hope to duplicate that success here,” Jimenez said.

Jimenez noted that the biggest concern of the commission for the upcoming plebiscite is violence.

Nevertheless, he said that the authorities are not expecting any “grave disruptions”  in the North Cotabato and Lanao del Norte.

Jimenez also said that the voters from the said areas have been actively participating in election related events.

“Stakes are different, stakes are no longer ratification, this is only inclusion. So I don’t know if that will generate the same sort of interest,” he said.

“But we are nevertheless hopeful that because these are politically active areas – historically and traditionally  – we expect that we will have a turnout of better than 75 percent,” he added. /gsg