Cebu: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has temporarily ceased the issuance of voter certifications to enable election officers to focus on preparations for the upcoming May 12 polls. “Starting today, May 7, until May 19, our office will suspend the issuance of voter certifications, so that all the election officers can focus on the upcoming elections,” stated lawyer John Raymund Ceniza, Comelec-Central Visayas election assistant II, during the Kapihan sa PIA (Philippine Information Agency) forum on Wednesday.

According to Philippines News Agency, Ceniza highlighted the Commission’s strict rules against providing assistance to voters in certain situations. This measure is intended to maintain the integrity of the electoral process and prevent any potential issues such as vote buying, vote selling, or misuse of state resources. The election preparations are in their final stages, with ongoing final testing and sealing of the automated counting machines (ACM) in Region 7 (Central Visayas).

Ceniza reported that the final testing and sealing of ACMs in Bohol was completed on Tuesday, while the process is still underway in Cebu. The aim is to ensure the proper functioning and security of the ACMs at polling precincts. “This time, we will not repair a malfunctioning ACM on site, but we will remove and replace the defective machine,” he explained.

In a related discussion at the same PIA forum, a former member of the New People’s Army, who identified himself as “Ka AK”, shared insights on how insurgent groups exploit the elections. He revealed that the Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA-National Democratic Front operate “area zones” where politicians must seek permission to campaign by providing the insurgents with arms or money. This strategy is one of several used by insurgents to fundraise and acquire weapons for their operations.