The Commission on Elections logo superimposed on the picture of its headquarters in Manila. INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Saturday said voter turnout in the Maguindanao plebiscite may reach more than 70 percent, its spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said.
Laudiangco said the projected number is “historic” as the general voting average in plebiscites is only at around 28 to 30 percent.
The Comelec earlier reported that voter turnout in the referendum as of Saturday noon is at around 56 percent.
“This time po para sa Maguindanao, inaasahan po namin na hihigit pa yung 56 percent voter turnout. Sa katunayan po, kanina ring tanghali ang ating conservative estimates ay lalampas tayo ng 70 percent voter turnout,” Laudiangco said in a press briefing.
(This time for Maguindanao, we expect that we would exceed the 56 percent voter turnout. In fact, our conservative estimate is that we will reach a 70 percent voter turnout.)
“Ngunit ngayon po pumapasok unti unti sa lahat ng munisipyo, mukhang lalampas pa rin po tayo ng 70 percent and we’re optimistic na malalampasan natin to,” he added.
(But now that the results are coming from all municipalities, we might exceed the 70 percent mark and we are optimistic that we could do it.)
Meanwhile, Laudiangco said no untoward incidents were reported during the conduct of plebiscite.
The Comelec has deferred until Sunday the canvassing of votes in the plebiscite, but assured that the Provincial Board of Canvassers could proclaim the result before Sunday noon.
The plebiscite seeks to determine if the people of Maguindanao will accept Republic Act No. 11550, a law that will divide the province into Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur.