Comelec probes Bangued fire

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) is investigating the burning of a voting center in Abra’s capital of Bangued on Wednesday morning, its chairman said.

Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia noted that while there have been recommendations to place Abra under Comelec control, the Commission en banc would first evaluate the area’s peace and order situation before making a decision.

“We assure the people of Bangued, Abra not to be afraid,” he told a news briefing in Filipino. “We will increase the presence of our security personnel there.”

“We are still determining what caused the fire and whether it was intentionally set due to the upcoming elections,” he added.

He said automated counting machines had not yet been delivered to the voting center at the time of the fire. About 70% of the facility was destroyed in the blaze. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana