AT LEAST 90 percent of the total votes during the village and youth council elections were already accounted by the Commission of Elections (Comelec) in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
Comelec–CAR director lawyer Julius Torres said while the region registered 100 percent voter’s turnout, only two far-flung municipalities in Mountain Province have yet to submit the results to the provincial election board.
"As per our monitoring of the elections particularly in the five provinces aside from Abra, we were receiving positive reports of a peaceful conduct of the elections. The security preparations and deployment implemented by the PNP (Philippine National Police) and AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) have proven to be effective and minor issues were immediately resolved by our election officials," Torres said.
The Comelec official earlier said that although they have been receiving reports of election violations particularly in Abra, formal complaints have yet to be filed in their office.
"Even before the start of the elections, we have been receiving reports of an alleged group in Abra who was conducting rounds in the province insisting on prospective candidates to back out from the barangay elections. Based on our verification from our Abra field office, the problem, however, is that no one would like to file a formal complaint against these individuals," added Torres.
In Kalinga, the two precincts of Barangay Mabungtut in Lubuagan where six PNP personnel presided the electoral process reported of a peaceful conduct of the elections.
In Mountain Province, the electoral process was also reported to be peaceful except for some minor problems.
"Based on the report of Atty. Ricardo Lampac who is our Provincial Election Supervisor, they are still awaiting the results coming from Natonin and Paracelis who have still to transport the election results. They failed to transport the results immediately due to strong rains and bad roads but generally, the elections there was peaceful," Torres explained.
Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan, during the flag raising ceremonies at City Hall, commended the peaceful conduct of elections in Baguio City and the region, and the effective security preparations initiated by the PNP and AFP.
"Except for 37 violators of the liquor ban and an incident of campaigning during Election Day, the conduct of elections in the city remained generally peaceful," said the mayor.
Torres reminded all winning and losing candidates of the electoral requirement on the filling of their Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) for the barangay and SK candidates not later than June 13.
"Failure to do so prohibits winning candidates from entering upon the duties of their office until they have complied. The Commission of a second or subsequent failure to file their SOCE would subject them to perpetual disqualification of holding public office," Torres added.
The Comelec also reminded the public of the existing gun ban which is in effect until May 22.