Fire causes power
disruption in Butuan City on election day
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, May 13
(PIA) – A power disruption occurred at around 3:45 p.m. today here as fire
razed a car display center in downtown area.
Initial reports from the
city’s Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) said that the fire started at KIA Motors
Display Center’s mezzanine floor. Further, initial investigation revealed that
faulty electrical wirings caused the fire which was put under control around 30
minutes after.
Meanwhile, in a
phone-patch interview with 107.8 Power FM this afternoon, Engr. Darwin Daymiel
of Agusan del Norte Electric Cooperative, Inc. (ANECO) said to date, only the
connection of KIA Motors Display Center and the establishment beside it was
isolated because of the fire incident.
He added there are no
communal transformers installed in the area “thus, the voting precincts located
at a nearby elementary school will still go on and canvassing of votes can
still be conducted as scheduled this evening,” Daymiel said.
With this, Daymiel
called on the public to stay calm and assured that there will be no power
interruption this evening as canvassing of votes takes place.
The official said as
early as yesterday, they are in red alert and they have doubled their regular
maintenance crew for the purpose of the midterm elections. “Starting yesterday,
we are in red alert status and we have doubled the regular maintenance crew to
address whatever power interruptions that may possibly happen,” Daymiel said.
Engr. Daymiel also said
though the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines don’t have any power
curtailment schedule today, there are still possibilities of curtailment if the
problem is on the technical aspect.
He explained further
that like what happened today in Las Nieves town where at around 10:30 a.m., a
power disruption occurred in the area because of line streaming. However,
Daymiel said the power was restored after the maintenance crew surveyed the
lines in the area and fixed the problem.
He said line streaming
means that there electrical lines that are currently installed in areas where
trees grow. He added as these trees move, the electrical lines will also be
affected that causes brownout. (RER/PIA-Caraga)
Gov’t troops full alert in today’s election,
official says
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, May 13 (PIA) – Elements of the
Philippine Army’s 30th Infantry Battalion is on full alert at the height of the
conduct of national and local midterm elections today.
This was learned from 1Lt. Joe Patrick Martinez,
30IB Civil Military Operations Officer in an interview with 107.8 Power FM this
morning.
Martinez said the military wants to ensure that
the people will be safe and the election process will be peaceful. He likewise
stressed that the troops assigned in their respective areas of responsibilities
will not leave the area until the election ends and the Commission on Elections
(COMELEC) has officially proclaimed the winners.
Following the transfer of two clustered
precincts in Jabonga and Kitaharao towns in Agusan del Norte this morning,
Martinez said this is because of the security threat as intelligence report
revealed that previous citing of armed group believed to be members of the
CPP/NPA/NDF (CNN).
Martinez explained and asked for voting public’s
understanding on the latest development as this is for the sake of their
security.
Meanwhile, Martinez said their troops are still
conducting checkpoint operations in the entrance and exit points of the region,
together with the police officers and some COMELEC personnel. (RER/PIA-Caraga)
PNP confirms shooting incident in Buenavista
town, no one hurt
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, May 13 (PIA) – Municipal police
station of Buenavista town in Agusan del Norte has confirmed shooting incident
early this morning as polling precincts opened.
During this morning’s live interview and aired
over 107.8 Power FM of Philippine Information Agency (PIA)-Caraga, Municipal
Chief of Police Insp. Jared Charles Joaquin confirmed report of shooting
incident in Barangay 3.
He said they are conducting thorough
investigation on the incident.
Insp. Joaquin said though investigation is still
on-going, they presumed that it is an election-related incident since the
suspect is the chairman of the said barangay.
The official said charges against the suspect
has been filed by local authorities. Joaquin added nobody was hit on the
incident. (RER/PIA-Caraga)
Dinagat Islands is peaceful as polling precincts
opens
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, May 13 (PIA) – The Province of
Dinagat Islands is peaceful as polling precincts simultaneously opened this
morning.
In a phone-patch interview over 107.8 Power FM
Provincial Board of Canvasser Chairman Atty. Riza Constantino said since Sunday
and as of press time, no untoward incidents happened in the area and there were
no signs of security threat.
Atty. Constantino added that since Sunday,
municipal election officers are already prepared for the conduct of today’s
election. “When I arrived here yesterday, I visited the municipal election
officers and found that they are already prepared for the conduct of the
election,” Constantino said.
When asked on the problems they encountered,
Constantino said majority of the Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) are
complaining on the change of schedule for the convening of Municipal Board of
Canvassers from 6:00 p.m. to 12:00 noon.
Constantino said because of the geographic
location of the province where polling precincts are located far from each
other, it is hard for the board of canvassers to arrive on the exact schedule.
However, she said this can be managed.
The official further said though the entire
province was observed to be peaceful, still, the municipality of Loreto was
included in the areas of concerns because of the previous citing of armed men
in Sitio Hibusong of the said town.
Constantino is hopeful that the province will be
peaceful as election ends this evening. (RER/PIA-Caraga)
2 clustered precincts in Agusan del Norte
transferred as per PNP assessment
By Robert E. Roperos
BUTUAN CITY, May 13 (PIA) – The Provincial
Office of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has transferred two clustered
precincts in Agusan del Norte.
This, according to Provincial Comelec Supervisor
Atty. Raquel Limbaco in a phone-patch interview aired over 107.8 Power FM of
the Philippine Information Agency (PIA)-Caraga, is based on the recommendation
of the Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) upon the assessment of the
Provincial Police Office, saying that they cannot give assurance to secure the
transporting of election paraphernalia in the said areas due to the presence of
CPP/NPA/NDF (CNN).
Limbaco said the BEIs are authorized to transfer
the polling precincts if they found that the area is not secured and provided
that majority of them have agreed and decided to do so.
Atty. Limbaco said that in the municipality of
Jabonga, cluster 8 polling precincts will be transferred from Tagbungawan
Primary School in Barangay Bangonay will be transferred to Bangonay Elementary
School.
In Kitcharao, cluster 10 polling precincts from
Hinimbangan Elementary School will be transferred to Bliss Elementary School in
Brgy. Poblacion. Meanwhile, cluster 8 precincts in Zapanta Primary School will
be transferred to H.V. Dagani Elementary School in Barangay Bangayan.
The COMELEC official explained that all parties,
including the volunteers were already informed of this development. She also
said notices were also placed/posted in the original designated polling
precincts informing the voting public to proceed to the venue where it is
transferred.
Meanwhile, on the issue of counterfeit bills
distribution in some municipalities in the province, Atty. Limbaco said
investigation of the incident in Buenavista town is already conducted by the
municipal police office.
It can be recalled that last Saturday at around
11:30 p.m., law enforcers of Buenavista Municipal Police Station have responded
to a report received by their office involving a barangay official who is
distributing fake one thousand bills.
Report revealed that said official was caught in
his possession two pcs. of fake one thousand peso bill. The suspect is already
detailed at the Buenavista Jail and appropriate case has been filed against
him. However, he can file a bail bond for his temporary release. (RER/PIA-Caraga)
Tagalog news: PCOS machine sa isang presinto sa
Butuan City, hindi na gumana
By Robert E. Roperos
LUNGSOD NG BUTUAN, Mayo 13 (PIA) -- Hindi na
gumana ang Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machine na naka-assign sa
precinct no. 7 sa Butuan Central Elementary School dito sa lungsod.
Ayon kay Ma. Lourdes Canete, Board of Election
Inspector chairman ng nasabing presinto, sa simula ay hindi naman nagka-aberiya
ang nasabing PCOS machine at nakabasa pa ito ng mga 174 na balota, ngunit nang
ipasok na ang ika-175 na balota, bigla na lamang daw itong nagka-aberiya.
Dagdag ni Canete, sinubukan pa raw itong ayusin
ng technician ng PCOS machine ngunit tuluyan na itong hindi gumana.
Sa ngayon, ayon kay Canete, pinayuhan sila ng
city Commission on Elections (Comelec) dito na ipagpapatuloy ang botohan at
ginagawan na ng paraan ng nasabing ahensiya ang pagkukumpuni ang nasabing PCOS
machine.
Bago mag alas 6 ng gabi, napag-alamang pinalitan
na ang PCOS machine ng nasabing presinto at matagumpay na nai-transmit ang boto
sa COMELEC Central Office sa Maynila. (RER/PIA-Caraga)
