Baguio’s tag as election violation hotspot assailed

Mayor Benjamin Magalong assailed a report of election watchdog Vote Report Ph naming Baguio City as a hotspot for violations in the recently concluded elections saying it appears contradictory to what actually transpired during the voting day.
“I think the report does not reflect the general situation in the city during the polling day. The general observation was that we had a peaceful and orderly exercise and therefore to say that the city was one with the most number of electoral misconduct in the country is just unfair,” the mayor, who won his reelection bid as a third-termer chief executive, said.
He said even Baguio City Election Officer Atty. John Paul Martin had questioned the report.
Martin reportedly disputed the findings and questioned the group’s basis in coming up with the report.
“What is their basis for claiming there were violations? It is easy to make such claims,” Martin was quoted as saying.
Martin also told the media that “no formal complaints regarding electoral misconduct were filed with his office.”
He said that while it is true that there were four automated counting machines (ACMs) that broke down, these were promptly replaced.
He also dismissed the brownout experienced as a “non-issue” having no impact whatsoever on the voting exercise.
Baguio City, he added, had even been cited by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) en banc as among those fastest to transmit results to the National Board of Canvassers.
Mayor Magalong commended the COMELEC Baguio led by Atty. Martin, the teachers, volunteers, watchers and all other poll workers who exerted their utmost efforts to guard against electoral frauds.
“Thank you for giving us a fair and honest elections. We greatly appreciate you all holding the line to protect the sanctity of the ballots and maintain the integrity of the entire election process,” the mayor said. ** Aileen P. Refuerzo