The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Negros Oriental is seeking the assistance of the Department of Energy (DOE) to help fast-track the restoration of electricity in the towns and cities devastated by Typhoon Odette last December to ensure smooth conduct of the May 9 national and local elections. Lawyer Lionel Marco Castillano, Comelec provincial election supervisor-designate of Negros Oriental, in an interview with the Philippine News Agency on Tuesday, said he is apprehensive that towns and cities that are covered by the Negros Oriental Electric Cooperative I (NORECO I) may not be fully energized before election day. “NORECO I said
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has so far not received any untoward incidents at the start of the election campaign period for national candidates in the May 9 national and local polls. “So far we have not received any untoward reports, although there have been already reports of some potential violations of certain norms and practices,” Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said in an online press briefing Tuesday. He said the candidates are all compliant “except for some reason or another failed to secure the necessary permits.” “The reasons are varied. Some cases they have been able to provide complete documentation
A total of 30 former rebels (FRs) who recently withdrew their membership and support from the New People’s Army (NPA), turned over their firearms to the 2nd Infantry Battalion (2IB) headquarters in Barangay Bacolod, Milagros, Masbate. The FRs are composed of three Militia ng Bayan members, one from Ganap na Samahang Masa, and 26 supporters who surrendered AR15 rifle; four .45 caliber pistols; 17 .38 caliber revolvers; five .357 caliber; 9mm caliber; and shotgun, homemade shot gun, and caliber .22 on Sunday. “The group expressed their sincere gratitude for the government troops’ assistance in making their dream of going back
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Negros Oriental has set a series of training for technicians and teachers comprising the electoral board on the use of the vote counting machines (VCMs) in preparation for the May 9 national and local polls. Lawyer Lionel Marco Castillano, Comelec’s provincial election supervisor-designate of Negros Oriental, told the Philippine News Agency on Tuesday that the training for technicians will be from February 21 to 27. For the electoral board (formerly known as the board of election inspectors), the training will be held on March 7-29, he said. The chairman and poll clerk of each
