No extension of voting hours in areas hit by delays, says poll chief

Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Despite reported delays in the start of voting in certain areas in the country, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Monday it will not extend voting hours.

“There will be no extension of voting time,” chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. told reporters in a briefing in the Comelec’s command center at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).

“We will not extend voting so far unless the Comelec en banc overrules the chairman, I will not recommend any extension of voting unless there are special circumstances,” he said.

Voting hours on Election Day began at 7 a.m. and will end at 7 p.m. after which the precincts will close.

The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) earlier reported several incidents of defective precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines, oversized ballots, and power outages delaying the voting process.

One particular area in Tanauan, Batangas was hit by brownout around 8:30 a.m. and electricity has not been restored since then.

In a school in District 6 in Quezon City, voting had been halted because of defective PCOS machines, according to PPCRV media director Ana De Villa-Singson.

Another case of power outage due to severed wires was reported in Barangay (village) Sta. Monica in Novaliches Proper which caused the delay of voting in that area, she said.

Originally posted: 3:48 pm | Monday, May 13th, 2013