MANILA, Philippines — A “minor problem” of teachers backing out of poll duty in the Oct. 30 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections — was not necessarily out of fear of violence, George Garcia, chief of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said in a press briefing on Sunday.
A total of 2,500 backed out of poll duty in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), 29 in Abra, and 10 in the Bicol Region, Garcia said.
“[They back out] for whatever reason. They were not afraid, but maybe they just would not want to serve or they would want to take a vacation,” he said, speaking partly in Filipino.
“That’s the minor problem we face — their sudden withdrawal. But we already have contingency measures. We have substitutes for the teachers who withdrew.”
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Garcia said 3,000 trained officers from the Philippine National Police (PNP) were on standby in the BARMM. The Comelec will also police officers Abra and Bicol, among others.
Earlier, Garcia said some 400,000 trained police officers would be on standby nationwide for the Oct. 30 elections.
He also assured voters that the Comelec was ready even in 365 barangays placed under the red category — or areas under grave concern.