Comelec sets May 20 special elections in Isabela town

Comelec Director Frances Arabe. (Photo by CONSUELO MARQUEZ / INQUIRER.net)

Updated @ 11:24 p.m., May 18, 2019, setting definite date for special elections

MANILA, Philippines — Special elections for Barangay Dicamay I in Jones, Isabela will be held on May 20 to correct the effect of a vote-counting machine (VCM) being torched there last Tuesday.

On Saturday, the Comelec en banc approved a resolution titled, “In the Matter of Intentional Burning of VCMs in Barangay Dicamay I, Jones, Isabela.”

The resolution states that special elections will be conducted in Clustered Precinct No. 18 — precinct numbers 0037A, 0037N, 0038A, 0038B and 0038P1 — of Barangay Dicamay I.

Comelec Director Frances Arabe said the burned VCM contained 1,000 votes and might affect the results for local candidates and party-list representatives.

“For Jones, Isabela it will affect the standing of local candidates that is why there is a need for special elections,” Arabe said in a press briefing at the Comelec Command Center on Pasay City.

READ: Armed men torch VCM, election paraphernalia in Isabela

Meanwhile, for torched VCMs in San Pablo, Zamboanga del Sur, Arabe said Comelec was considering lowering “the threshold” as the VCM contained only 400 votes, which would not affect the local elections there.

“With respect to Zamboanga, the office of regional director is waiting for the request of the election officer to lower the threshold because… In Zamboanga, which is 400 votes will not affect the standing so the request is leaning towards the lowering of the threshold so they can proceed to proclaim,” Arabe said.

On Thursday, a VCM in San Pablo Central Elementary School was torched. Initial investigation showed that the fire was deliberately started with gasoline.

READ: VCM torching, explosion mar Zamboanga del Sur town

(Editor: Alexander T. Magno)