Despite the discovery of an abandoned explosive-rigged motorcycle in the Province of Maguindanao Tuesday afternoon, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) announced that the synchronized mock elections held today in 11 polling places in the province proceeded without incident.
“The mock polls in Maguindanao opened at exactly 8:00 this morning and an hour later, the results have been electronically beamed for canvassing and consolidation,” said COMELEC spokesman James Jimenez.
He said, a total of 564 voters participated in the mock exercise and that as of 10:03 AM, the transmission of the Maguindanao mock election results were either 100% complete or in the process of completion in the municipalities of Ampatuan, Datu Anggal, Datu Piglas, Datu Piang, Datu Unsay, Guindulungan, Pagagawan, Shariff Aguak, Datu Saudi Ampatuan and Talayan.
“Our people in the field have reported to us that the mock balloting in Maguindanao went smoothly and that the voters showed no signs of difficulty in their voting. Apparently, the detection of a motorcycle bomb didn’t deter the voters there from participating in the mock polls” he said.
The mock elections in Maguindanao, Jimenez said, were originally scheduled July 22, but had to be called off in deference to President Gloria Arroyo’s visit that day to the flood affected areas in the province.
A total of 245,415 registered voters in Maguindanao are expected to cast their votes in the 11 August 2008 automated elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). ###
