Polls may start at noon in 4 island villages of Cagayan, says Brillantes

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MANILA, Philippines—Rough seas “delayed by a little” the delivery of election materials in four island villages in Calayan, Cagayan, Commission on Elections Chairman Sixto Brillantes said Monday.

“It was just delayed by a little,” Brillantes told reporters in an ambush interview. “Election can start this noon.”

He said the ballots and other election paraphernalia for island villages of Minabel, Babuyan Claro, Dalupiri, and Balatubat had arrived.

“Our contingency plan is, polling can be continued up to tomorrow if it cannot be pushed through today,” Brillantes said.

There are about 9,000 voters on Calayan Island.

The ballots, which need to be delivered by sea, were delayed in the previous days because of rough waters. The vessel carrying them was only able to depart Aparri port in the morning of election day.

The Philippine Coast Guard on Sunday afternoon barred the vessel carrying the poll materials from leaving the Aparri port “due to the perilous condition of the sea,” Election Supervisor Catherine Bangi-Allas of Region 3 said.

At the same time, the election officer tasked to train Barangay Election Tellers (BET) had failed to arrive on time as a result of the PCG travel restriction, Allas said.

It takes seven hours by sea to get to Calayan Island, said Teofisto Elnas Jr., director of the Election and Barangay Affairs department.

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