THE Commission on Elections in Central Visayas (Comelec 7) reported that no major problems were encountered in the entire region from the start of the voting at 5 a.m. until 1 p.m. on election day, Monday, May 12, 2025.
Comelec 7 Director Atty. Francisco Pobe Jr. said only minor issues were experienced, such as the misdelivery of 183 ballots to seven areas in Cebu and Bohol, which were immediately addressed.
Among the incidents: 19 ballots meant for Balamban were mistakenly sent to Bantayan town in Bantayan Island; 20 ballots for Argao were delivered to Aloguinsan; 102 ballots intended for Barangay Lambason in San Remigio ended up in Barangay Tambongon of the same town; 42 ballots for Pardo, Cebu City were sent to Candijay, Bohol; and 44 ballots for various precincts in Mandaue City were missing their second page.
Pobe said these did not affect the 7 a.m. start of voting, as he quickly coordinated with election officers to have the ballots delivered promptly following ballot security protocols.
He also coordinated with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Philippine Coast Guard, especially in remote areas like Bantayan Island, to ensure that the ballots would reach their destinations as quickly as possible, including Balamban and other areas.
The Comelec official clarified that these issues would not delay the closing of the elections since only a small number of ballots were involved.
"I have the feeling that this will not cause delays because the number is very small. Under statistical probability, there is rarely 100 percent voter turnout in a clustered precinct. If you’re talking about 19 ballots, chances are this won’t have any effect," Pobe said.
Pobe estimated that by 1 p.m., around 50 to 60 percent of all voters in Central Visayas had already cast their votes, and he expects the final turnout to reach 80 to 85 percent.
He observed that people were voting quickly and that the new Automated Counting Machines were issuing receipts promptly.
Police Brigadier General Redrico Maranan, chief of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7, personally inspected polling centers across Cebu City to ensure his personnel were effectively maintaining security.
Maranan said no election-related crimes were reported in the entire Central Visayas region.
PRO 7 deployed 9,170 police personnel to over 2,000 polling centers across the region, along with necessary equipment.
The police also recorded seven vote-buying incidents -- five in Bohol and two in Cebu -- and arrested 10 individuals for violating the Comelec gun ban (five in Bohol and five in Cebu), along with two liquor ban violators. (AYB)