Special elections in far-flung Libacao barangays held

BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) declared all barangays in the province of Aklan already conducted the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.
Provincial Election Supervisor Atty. Ian Lee Ananoria said far-flung three villages in Libacao, Aklan - Barangay Dalagsaan Proper, Sitio Taroytoy of Barangay Manika and Sitio Maytaraw of Barangay Dalagsaan held their special elections on October 27.
The three villages were included in 57 barangays in Western Visayas identified by Comelec that failed to conduct the synchronized barangay and SK polls last Monday due to delayed deliveries of election materials in the barangays, which could be reached for 2-3 days by foot.
As of 7 p.m. Wednesday, no election-related incidents were reported in the three remaining villages in Aklan, Ananoria stressed.
“We have now completed the elections in 327 barangays in the province after the three areas in Libacao, Aklan held its special elections. We still have until Friday as provided by Omnibus Election Code to break electoral ties,” Ananoria added.
Mayor Charito Navarosa said the rescheduled youth council and barangay polls in the hinterland municipality of Libacao affected more than 2,000 registered voters.

As this developed, elections in the province of Aklan were generally peaceful and orderly, despite, reported delays in the deliveries of Comelec forms in the towns of Makato and Ibajay and the political tussle of barangay candidates in Sigcay, Banga, Aklan.
Philippine Army and Aklan Police Provincial Office (APPO) personnel went on full alert status to secure polling centers in the barangays and to implement the gun ban across the province.