Five-Hour Voting Extension in Lapat Balantay, Abra Following Shooting Incident and Teachers’ Protest

Bangued, Abra — Voting was extended by approximately five hours in the far-flung village of Lapat Balantay, Tineg, Abra, after a disruption that lasted from 8:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on Monday.

According to Philippines News Agency, the Abra provincial election officer, the interruption stemmed from a shooting incident that occurred around 8:30 a.m. about 500 meters from the back of the voting center in Barangay Lapat Balantay.

Belmes elaborated that following the shooting incident, teachers manning the polling station were too frightened to continue with the voting process. Despite this, Belmes, along with the Provincial Joint Security Control Center (PJSCC), took immediate action to replace the teachers and ensure that the 258 registered voters at the precinct would not be disenfranchised. Belmes disclosed that three police-special electorate board (SEB) members were flown in by a Philippine Army Black Hawk helicopter to take over the polling duties from the teachers.

Upon arrival of the new SEB, the teachers initially refused to turn over the election paraphernalia, even locking them inside a ballot box. After hours of negotiation and upon orders from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to arrest the teachers for violation of the Omnibus Election Code, voting resumed. Belmes said that the extension would match the duration of the earlier interruption.

Additional incidents were reported by Belmes, including the unauthorized presence of politicians in voting precincts where they are not registered and the presence of a lawyer in Lapat Balantay at the height of the problem. Belmes also mentioned an unopposed candidate for village chief in Barangay Lanec, Tineg, who suffered a fatal heart attack on Monday morning. Due to his single status, no legal spouse could substitute him, thus automatically elevating the top-ranking village council member to the post of barangay captain.

Despite these challenges, Belmes stated that the overall voting process in Abra was peaceful but cautioned that the provincial election office is prepared for possible issues during the vote counting and proclamation of winners. She indicated that additional security measures are being implemented in Zone 6, Bangued, where the proclamation of candidates facing charges will be suspended as per Comelec En Banc orders.

Belmes urged security forces to remain vigilant until the end of the election period on November 29.