Comelec: Final testing, sealing of VCMs 99.97% completed

MANILA, Philippines — Moments away before polling precincts nationwide open for the May midterm elections, the final testing and sealing (FTS) of vote-counting machines were already 99.97 percent complete.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Spokesperson James Jimenez announced this in a press briefing Monday at the PICC Forum.

“As of 4:30 this morning, ‘yung ating FTS ay nasa 99.97 percent. Majority of the country tapos na yung FTS. They’re ready to go,” Jimenez said.

The poll official explained that the locations yet to complete the FTS involved far-flung areas in Region II.

“Tatlong clustered precincts lang naman ang involved doon,” he said.

He said they were expecting to receive updates from the concerned areas regarding the FTS.

As of 2 a.m. Monday, Jimenez said there were 32 reports of vote-buying incidents nationwide with 174 arrests made by the Philippine National Police.

As for liquor ban violations, there were 34 reports with 175 arrested by the police.

Meanwhile, Jimenez noted 43 election-related incidents reported nationwide with about 73 killed or wounded.

This is lower compared to the over a hundred election-related incidents recorded in the 2016 elections, Jimenez added. (Editor: Cenon B. Bibe Jr.)