(Eagle News) — The Commission on Elections on Wednesday, Jan. 23, deferred for a second time the canvassing of votes cast in the Bangsamoro Organic Law plebiscite in Sulu, Cotabato and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
In a statement, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said the rescheduling of the canvassing from today at 1 p.m. to tomorrow, Thursday, Jan. 24, at 2 p.m. was because “the National Plebiscite Board of Canvassers have not yet received any COCs (Certificates of Canvass).”
The canvassing was originally scheduled on Tuesday, Jan. 22, but this was rescheduled to today for the same reason.
No discrepancy
Jimenez also clarified there was no discrepancy between the total number of votes cast in Cotabato City and the number of voters there.
On Tuesday, Jan. 22, Jimenez tweeted that registered voters in Cotabato reached 113,751, but of this, only 61,676 cast their votes, with a voter turnout of 54.22 percent.
The COC showed, however, that there were only 71,963 registered voters and 39,024 votes cast in Cotabato.
According to Jimenez, “upon verification with the (list in the) Project of Precincts, it would appear that a clerical error has been made.”
He said “such an error can be raised and corrected during the National Canvass, without affecting the outcome of the plebiscite, either in Cotabato City alone, or throughout the entire plebiscite area.”
The vote for the ratification of the BOL, which seeks to replace the ARMM with a more autonomous Bangsamoro, has so far dominated in parts of ARMM and Cotabato but not in Sulu, media reports have said.
On Feb. 6, a similar plebiscite will be conducted in six municipalities of Lanao del Norte and 39 barangays of North Cotabato.
