INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
COTABATO CITY, Maguindanao, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) expects to tally the plebiscite votes to split Maguindanao into two provinces to be done by the end of Saturday.
Comelec could then declare the outcome on Sunday, according to lawyer Ray Sumalipao, Comelec regional director for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Regional in Muslim Mindanao.
The manual count started as soon as the polling center closed at 3 p.m. on Saturday.
Sumalipao estimated that up to 70 percent of Maguindanao’s over 800,000 voters showed up at the polling precincts.
“Generally peaceful, no single election-related violence was reported, as per Army and police officials’ statement,” Sumalipao said.
“Voting started at 7 a.m. in most of the polling places and are going on smoothly,” said Brig. Gen. John Guyguyon, director of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region Police Regional Office.
“I am happy to inform you that as of 12 noon or three hours before the voting ends, no single untoward incident or election-related violence was reported,” Guyguyon added.
Col. Roel Sermese, Maguindanao police director, said more than 1,500 police officers and poll deputies in 461 voting precincts in 36 municipalities.
Army and Marine personnel also helped maintain law and order in the province, he added.
Although results were expected by Sunday, there appears to be a general consensus already that favors splitting the province.
Maguindanao provincial officials have campaigned for Republic Act No. 11550 to be ratified, leading to a split of the province.
Among those who led voting on Saturday were Maguindanao First District Rep. Sittie Shahara “Dimple” Mastura in Sultan Kudarat town, Maguindanao Gov. Bai Mariam Mangudadatu in Datu Abdullah Sangki town, and Maguindanao Vice Gov. Bai Ainee Sinsuat in Datu Odin Sinsuat town.
If voters accede to the split, Mangudadatu — the province’s first woman top executive — would be the last governor of an undivided Maguindanao and the first of Maguindanao del Sur that will comprise 24 towns.
Sinsuat would also be the first governor of Maguindanao del Norte which will be composed of 12 towns.
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