(Eagle News) — The Commission on Elections on Tuesday, Jan. 22, rescheduled the canvassing of votes in the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) plebiscite to Wednesday, Jan. 23, instead.
This was after the National Plebiscite Board of Canvassers (NPBOC) for the BOL based in the Comelec headquarters in Intramuros, Manila received no certificates of canvass from the areas covered by the plebiscite as of 11:30 a.m.
On Jan. 21, residents of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Isabela City, and Cotabato City voted on whether to ratify the BOL, which President Rodrigo Duterte had touted as the solution to the problem in Mindanao.
The BOL seeks to replace the ARMM with a more autonomous Bangsamoro.
On Feb. 6, residents in Lanao del Norte (except Iligan City) and six towns in North Cotabato are expected to vote in the plebiscite.
The Comelec en banc, led by Chairman Sheriff Abas, scheduled the canvassing to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 23, instead.
“Most likely tomorrow, meron nang naihatid sa amin (na COCs at election returns),” he said.
He said the Comelec was targeting to finish the process in one week, but he said this will still depend on the arrival of the documents.