FILE PHOTO: Philippine National Police Chief General Benjamin Acorda Jr during his first press briefing on April 25 2023, at Camp Crame in Quezon City. INQUIRER / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) said that 98 percent of polling precincts for the nationwide Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Election (BSKE) officially opened as of 10:50 a.m., Monday.
But all voting precincts are expected to open by 7 a.m. and accept registered voters until 3 p.m. for the October 30 BSKE, according to the Commission on Elections.
“As of this hour po 98 percent [na po ang bukas ng polling precincts],” PNP spokesperson and public information office chief Col. Jean Fajardo said in a Viber message sent to reporters at 10:50 a.m.
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In a press briefing earlier Monday, PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. said that 93.1 percent of voting centers were opened nationwide as of 8:19 a.m. But he did not give details on what caused the delay in the opening of precincts for the remaining seven percent.
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Nevertheless, Accorda assured the public that the voting process nationwide is going smoothly so far.
He also said that the PNP is now looking into reports that four fire incidents happened in polling areas located in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, including Maguindanao del Norte, Northern Mindanao, and the Bicol Region.
Acorda gave assurance these incidents do not have a direct effect on the ongoing barangay election process.
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