Many of Bohol polling prescincts fail to open up on time as election paraphernalia arrived late and
some of these election materials were still apparently en route from the city as of 8:00 AM.
This even as Commission on Election (Comelec) in Manila reportedly completed the delivery of
election paraphernalia as early as 2:00 PM of October 24, 2010.
In Bohol, many of such materials however arrived this 4:00 AM on election day, and apparently
couldn’t make it in time for the supposed simultaneous poll opening at 7:00 AM.
Bohol Comelec Supervisor Eliseo Labaria, in radio intervies confirmed earlier monitoring reports that
polls in some areas may be delayed.
Media reported that poll officials were still gathered at the municipal hall in several towns as late as
6:00 AM to pick their poll paraphernalia.
With the arrival of poll materials at 4:00, Labaria added that these have to be sent to the sent to the
different towns as immediately as they can.
In a radio interview at around 6:00 AM, Atty Labaria said that there were instances where some
election paraphernalia inluding supplies were already delivered but the ballots were delivered in
batches and some of them were delayed.
According to Malou Cempron of the local provincial COMELEC, the materials that arrived at 4:00 PM
were the latest of the batch which would be used duirng the local polls.
She added that the Bohol Comelec office prepared vehicles to dispatch the remaining paraphernalia
to the towns at 4:00 am so the polls could open as scheduled. She however could not discount that
fact that the materials may still be enroute as several poll centers open at 7:00.
Meanwhile, Atty Labaria added that all polling precincts that fail to start on time can extend up to
5:00 PM, to make up for the lost time. (PIABOhol)
