Voting in proposed Bangsamoro town peaceful, so far

A Maranao woman casts her votes at a polling precinct in Balo-i Elementary School in Baloi-i, Lanao del Norte. DIVINA M. SUSON

BALOI, LANAO DEL NORTE — Voting in this town, one of the six Lanao del Norte towns proposed for inclusion in the Bangsamoro, started at 7 a.m. here without any problem, the head of the plebiscite committee told the Inquirer.

Pareday Mangondaya, chair of the plebiscite committee here, said 25 polling centers in Baloi, which has 21,000 registered voters, opened at exactly 7 a.m.

“Ok naman po Maam, wala namang tensiyon. Wala po kaming problema na encounter (The voting is okay. No tension at all. We did not encounter any problem),” Mangondaya said.

SPO4 Camalodin Racal of the Baloi Municipal Police Station said the casting of votes went smoothly and orderly in Nangka Elementary School since the plebiscite started at 7 a.m.

Three voters complained that their names were not in the (voters) master list but were able to vote when they showed their voter’s identification cards.

“We advised them to show their voter’s ID para makaboto sila. Umuwi yung dalawa, kinuha ang (voter’s) ID para makaboto sila (so they can vote. The two went home to get their voter’s ID so they can vote),” Racal said. /lzb