Mock Polls In Cebu Orderly, Smooth

The mock election held in Cebu Saturday was orderly and smooth, an election official said.

Cebu Provincial Election Supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano said the mock election, held simultaneously in selected precincts in Cebu, Metro Manila and seven other areas, was conducted to test the voting and counting machines (VCM) to be use in the May 9 national elections.

However, Castillano said the results of the mock election in two Cebu City villages couldn’t be sent to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Manila.

In a remote village in Santander town, signal problems delayed the transmission of the mock election results to the Provincial Board of Canvassers.

The Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) moved from Barangay Cabutongan, Santander, seven kilometers to the town proper just to send the results.

Two polling precincts in Barangays Lusaran and Mabolo were able to transmit their results to the City Board of Canvassers, stationed in the Social Hall of Cebu City Hall, half an hour after the closing of the balloting at noon Saturday.

The mountain barangay of Lusaran transmitted the election results at 12:30 p.m., while the urban barangay of Mabolo transmitted at 12:39 p.m.

But the results of the mock election in Cebu City could not be transmitted because of a server problem in the Comelec central office.

Lawyer Marchel Sarno, Cebu City’s North District election officer, said they stopped attempting to transmit the results of the mock election at 5 p.m. Saturday to the Comelec central office, after seven attempts. (PNA) SCS/EB/PJN