Julia Christine Botin

Voters swarm Datu Odin Sinsuat municipal hall, delay start of voting

Article (news)

Job Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Voters in Datu Odin Sinsuat on Monday morning swarmed their municipal hall in protest of the electoral board assigned to their areas, delaying the start of voting in the Maguindanao del Norte town.</p><p>Commission on Elections spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said Comelec has already sought assistance from the Philippine Marine Corps to augment police and military personnel at the municipal hall.</p><p>“Nagkaroon ng massing ng tao sa municipal hall. Nandoon, kumpleto ang electoral board, kumpleto ang paraphernalia, kumpleto ang balota, ngunit ayaw paraanin ang mga tao para makalabas at simulan ang pagboto,” he said.</p><p>(People massed up at the municipal hall. The electoral board and election paraphernalia are there. There are enough ballots. But the people are blocking the way.)</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/5/12/comelec-says-midterm-polls-smooth-so-far-despite-minor-glitches-1043">Comelec says midterm polls smooth so far despite minor glitches<br/></a></div><p>He said the Marines asked for time to talk to leaders of the crowd for a peaceful dispersal.</p><p> &quot;Ayaw umabot ng Philippine Marines na magkaroon ng sakitan (The Marines don&#x27;t want people getting hurt),&quot; Laudiangco said.</p><p>Laudiangco said Marine vehicles will transport election paraphernalia, members of the electoral board, automated counting machines, and ballots to voting precincts.</p><p>The delay has affected more than 80,000 voters in 100 voting precincts but Laudiangco said Comelec can extend voting hours so more people can cast their ballots.</p><p>He assured voters that the electoral boards are duly-constituted by the Comelec and have been trained and certified by the Department of Science and Technology.</p><p>&quot;Kung mayroon silang objections sana sinampa nila yung objection nila prior to their constitution,&quot; he said, adding hindering the voting process could constitute an election offense.</p><p>(If they hade objections, it would have been better if they filed these before the boards were constituted)</p><div><a href="http://Riot sumiklab sa araw ng #Halalan2025 sa Marawi City">Riot sumiklab sa araw ng #Halalan2025 sa Marawi City<br/></a></div><p>At least 100 law enforcement personnel are in the municipal hall and the Marine contingent has already sent troops.</p><p>“Hinihintay na lang makalabas sa compound ng munisipyo (We are just waiting for them to head out of the municipal compound),&quot; Laudiangco said.</p><p>In April, the Comelec put the town under its control after election officer Bai Maceda Lidasan-Abo and her husband were killed in an ambush in Barangay Makir.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/51U69FX4xKI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Voters in Datu Odin Sinsuat swarmed their municipal hall in protest of the electoral board assigned in their areas, which led to the delay of the opening of #Halalan2025.</p>

Voters in Datu Odin Sinsuat swarmed their municipal hall in protest of the electoral board assigned in their areas, which led to the delay of the opening of #Halalan2025.