Manila: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday announced that the June 27 simulation exercises for the automated election system (AES) were successful, paving the way for the first-ever regular parliamentary polls in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) scheduled for September 14.
According to Philippines News Agency, Comelec Chairman George Garcia confirmed that the mock elections were conducted smoothly in Cotabato City, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte, and Bongao, Tawi-Tawi. "Our transmission of data was perfect and without interruption," Garcia stated, highlighting the satisfaction expressed by participants in the mock voting.
The National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) and the Institute for Autonomy and Governance, both acting as election watchdogs, supported Garcia's positive assessment of the simulation exercises. The Comelec Bangsamoro Parliament Elections Monitoring Center reported that 500 voters took part, with 50 voters per clustered precinct.
Abdull Tolondatu, a voter from Barangay Kalanganan, Cotabato City, expressed satisfaction with the process, noting the simplicity of the voting, which ran from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Garcia emphasized that the results were transmitted efficiently to the respective servers of the Comelec, dominant majority, dominant minority, media, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, and Namfrel.
The upcoming parliamentary elections in BARMM will use the automated election system unless challenged by the Supreme Court. With 2,393,530 registered voters, the elections will take place in 1,186 voting centers across BARMM's 2,185 villages, where voters will elect 32 parliamentary district representatives, 40 political party nominees, and eight sectoral representatives.
