Day: May 12, 2025

Bayang: A municipal council candidate and his aide were gunned down Monday morning while walking to cast their votes in Bayang, Lanao del Sur, police confirmed. Afganie Balt Taha, a town council aspirant, and supporter Walid Balt Taha, a relative and brother of a village official, were ambushed around 8 a.m. in Barangay Rinabor. According to Philippines News Agency, the two victims were heading to Mauyag Papandayan National High School polling precinct when they were attacked. Bayang police chief Capt. Edmundo Nabor stated that no suspects or motives have been identified, as pursuit operations continue. The killings mark one of

Caraga: Voting proceeded peacefully across Mindanao’s Davao and Caraga regions on Monday, with election and police officials reporting no poll-related incidents, aside from minor logistical challenges. According to Philippines News Agency, Police Regional Office-13 Director Brig. Gen. Christopher Abrahano inspected precincts with Commission on Elections-Caraga officials Edwin Cadungog and Geraldine Samson. “Voters are casting ballots without fear of violence,” Abrahano said during the morning press conference, noting that a pre-dawn shooting in Surigao del Norte was unrelated to the elections. The region’s 1.9 million registered voters spread across 1,363 voting centers encountered typical first-day issues like precinct location confusion, but

Dumaguete: The Commission on Elections-Negros Island Region (Comelec-NIR) on Monday assured voters that there are enough ballots available, despite a mix-up reported in two precincts earlier in the day. According to Philippines News Agency, Lawyer Lionel Marco Castillano, Comelec-NIR director, stated at a press conference that based on previous elections with typically low voter turnout, there are excess ballots prepared as a contingency measure. This assurance comes after a report from the Diocesan Electoral Board (DEB) of Dumaguete indicated a ballot mix-up at around 6:40 a.m. in a polling precinct of Sta. Cruz Elementary School in Tanjay City. Parish Pastoral

Ilocos Norte: Ilocos Norte election supervisor Joel Gines on Monday assured the public of the integrity of the automated counting machines (ACMs) that were tested and sealed before use on Election Day. According to Philippines News Agency, Gines made the assurance amid social media posts claiming that the names of the candidates they voted for mayor and vice mayor did not appear on the printed receipts, particularly at the Laoag Central Elementary School and in other villages in this city. The posts further alleged that poll watchers have raised their concern to the electoral board but have yet to see

Antique: Members of the vulnerable sector lauded the exclusive voting time set by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), allowing them to cast their votes faster on Monday. Marife Mateo, a 39-year-old person with disability (PWD), said in an interview that she did not wait long at the Mag-aba Central School in the municipality of Pandan because she was assisted by the Comelec. ‘The Comelec gave us priority so we could vote for our candidates,’ Mateo said. According to Philippines News Agency, Mateo has an inborn orthopedic problem, and she could not endure long hours of standing. She came early to