Poe voting delayed as vote counting machine malfunctions

Senator Grace Poe talks to reporters after arriving at the Sta. Lucia Elementary School in San Juan City on Monday, May 13, 2019. INQUIRER.NET / KRISSY AGUILAR

MANILA, Philippines — Reelectionist Senator Grace Poe suffered a delay in casting her vote on Monday as the vote counting machine (VCM) at her precinct malfunctioned.

Technicians at precinct 0349A at Sta. Lucia Elementary School in San Juan City said the machine failed to read the ballots.

“Naghihintay kami dito sa baba kasi yung voting machine sa presinto ko hindi daw gumagana. Sabi nung isang opisyal dito, mga two minutes daw aayusin pero lagpas na ng two minutes,” Poe told reporters.

“Pero kung sasabihan nila ako na aabutin ng ilang oras, baka bumalik na lang ako para hindi naman masyado magsiksikan dito,” Poe said.

Poe, an independent candidate, arrived at about 9:30 a.m.

Unable to vote, Poe said she would just return after the machine is fixed. /cbb