Comelec, military officials inspect Lanao del Sur polling precincts

Election Board members with Automated Counting Machines and ballots. —Photo by Richel V. Umel | Inquirer Mindanao MARAWI CITY, Philippines – It’s all systems go in Lanao del Sur, according to officials of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the military’s 103rd Infantry “Haribon” Brigade (IB) and the 101st “Three Red Arrows” Brigade after flying aboard a Blackhawk helicopter to inspect polling areas in the province on Sunday morning for the first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections on Monday.

The inspections were conducted by Comelec provincial supervisor Mohammad Nabil Mutia, 103IB commander Brig. Gen. Jessie Montoya, and Col. Danilo G. Ambi, deputy brigade commander of the 101st IB.

In Piagapo town, Lt. Col. Jerry Doldol, 55th IB commander, showed the “one entry, one exit” enforcement put in place for polling precincts in the area.

“Our troops have been in place to secure all clustered precincts under our area of responsibility for a safe, orderly and credible election,” he said.

Mutia said the “one entry, one exit” policy during election day on Monday, Sept. 14, will be enforced across Lanao del Sur for a “systematic flow of voting.”

“We urged the voters to go out, vote, and choose freely who will be their leaders,” he said.

Polling centers will open at 5 a.m. to 7 p.m., with the first two hours especially allotted for senior citizens, persons with disability, and pregnant voters.

Montoya said the Philippine Army and the Philippine National Police are well prepared to secure the historic BARMM polls.

In Poblacion, Madamba town, Col. Danilo Ambi, 101stIB deputy brigade commander, and Mutia also received a briefing and walked through the polling precinct from Lt. Col. Ricardo Sedeño III, commanding officer of the 51st Infantry “Fuerti Uno” Battalion.

Mutia said that all Automated Counting Machines have been tested, sealed, and closely guarded inside clustered polling precincts. /atm