HEAVY flooding could force the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to postpone voting in parts of the Bangsamoro region.
Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia said the commission is closely monitoring schools that will be used as voting centers, particularly in flood-prone areas in Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur.
‘What concerns Comelec more are the schools where the elections will be held because there are areas that are being flooded,’ Garcia said.
He said the poll body is studying where voters could be transferred if heavy rains affect the designated voting centers on election day.
‘If it rains heavily on election day, where will we transfer our voting centers? Where will our people vote?’ Garcia said.
Section 5 of the Omnibus Election Code allows Comelec to postpone an election when violence, terrorism, loss or destruction of election paraphernalia, force majeure or other analogous causes make it impossible to hold a free, orderly and honest election.
Garcia cited flooding and typhoons as possible force majeure that could trigger the provision.
‘We can postpone the election if there is violence, terrorism, force majeure, or loss or destruction of election paraphernalia,’ he said.
He added that flooded election paraphernalia could also leave Comelec without equipment to use on election day.
However, the poll body chief stressed that Comelec has not seen conditions that would require postponement at this point.
Comelec is also continuing the deployment of election equipment to provincial hubs, including Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte and the Special Geographic Area.