Despite VCM issues, polls in Cebu a success
Close to 50 vote counting machines were reported to have malfunctioned during the conduct of the national and local elections yesterday in Cebu province.
Atty. Jerome Brillantes, acting Cebu Provincial Election Supervisor, said they received a report that some VCMs in Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Cordova, Talisay City, Barili, Sibonga and Oslob malfunctioned.
In Cordova, a VCM assigned to Alegria Elementary School malfunctioned.
Arvin Maghanoy, election officer III in Cordova, said the mother board of the encountered trouble, causing for its replacement. Because of this, the voting there started past 6 a.m. already.
In Cebu City, a VCM at a clustered precinct in Mambaling Elementary School also malfunctioned. The VCM in clustered precinct number 757 would not print the voting receipt since the start of the voting at 5:45 p.m.
What the EB did was to continue the voting and keep the accomplished ballots while waiting for the VCM to be repaired.
Gabriel Bitang, one of the technical support staff, said that some parts of thr VCM were replaced and the same machine was used during the entire proceeding.
At about 9 a.m., the VCM was returned to the clustered precinct.
The other VCMs that were defective were also eventually repaired or replaced.
But the Comelec Cebu Province, as of this writing, is still waiting for the final report from the polling centers.
Aside from malfunctioning machines, there were also minor glitches that happened such as paper jams and rejected ballots which were either replaced or re-fed.
Other than these, no untoward incidents were received by the Comelec Cebu and Brillantes described the conduct of the elections here to be “generally peaceful.”
OTHER INCIDENTS
In Cebu City, polling precincts of the two of the six mayoralty candidates —Mayor Michael Rama and Margot Osmeña — were also not spared from some problems with the voting machine. Both candidates incidentally voted at Guadalupe Elementary School.
Just when Rama was about to vote, poll workers panicked a bit after the VCM malfunctioned, but worked well again after trouble-shooting and just in time for the Rama to feed his ballot.
Later in the afternoon, the VCM under Margot Osmeña’s precinct also had to be pressed hard and shaken to properly work again.
Other areas in Cebu City also had some VCMs that experienced some trouble, though during final testing, everything was working well.
There was also a power interruption in Suba and Pasil area, but voting did not stop as VCMs had backup batteries working.
The Cebu City Police Office reported a total of six VCMs that malfunctioned.
In Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu, there were also a handful of VCMs that malfunctioned, one in Mandaue and five in Lapu-Lapu.
Bohol Provincial Police Office also reported 13 VCMs that malfunctioned, 11 in Negros Oriental and four in Siquijor.
All of those that malfunctioned had been mostly repaired while some in Bohol and Cebu Province were replaced together with one SD card, and printer.
Lapu-Lapu Mayor Ahong Chan also disclosed that he received reports there were machines that encountered problems with receipts.
“Mao nay gitutukan sa atong mga abogado, kay massive kaayo ang maong panghitabo,” said Chan.
Aside from the VCM, locating precincts as well as missing names on the polling precincts were also experienced, something that has been a problem even in the past.
There were also voters who complained for the lack of a system in voting.
Even PWDs and seniors and heavily pregnant women who were supposed to have an express lane complained.
One PWD said it was way better if they just proceed to their original precincts as sending them in one place would also make it a crowded one.
Some parents also had problems after saying they were told children are not allowed in their polling precincts. Some claimed they were told it was okay to bring children.
The lack of comfort rooms was also a problem of some while others said there should have been portalets in the polling centers while others were hoping that at least free water was provided, especially that vendors were not allowed inside.