Comelec reports smooth Antipolo special poll

The special election for the congressional seat in the 2nd District of Antipolo City proceeded smoothly Saturday, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said.

Comelec chairman George Erwin Garcia inspected several voting centers, including San Jose National High School, San Roque National High School and Juan Sumulong Elementary School. He also visited the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology facility near the Antipolo City Police Station.

Comelec data showed that 184 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) voted — 149 men and 35 women — out of 234 registered voters. Election officials said some PDLs had already been released.

The manual election will determine who will fill the seat vacated by Rep. Romeo Acop, who died in December.

Six candidates are contesting the post. Among them is Philip Conrad “Dok Bong” Acop of the National Unity Party, son of the late lawmaker. The five other candidates are running as independents.

A total of 252,793 voters are registered in the district.

Voting in the district’s 37 polling centers across eight barangays ended at 3 p.m. The Ynares Event Center has been designated as the canvassing center.

The District Board of Canvassers was scheduled to convene at 6 p.m. to begin the vote tally.

Garcia said teachers who served in the election would receive their honoraria the same day after election materials are returned. He added that future elections would follow the same practice.

The winning candidate may be proclaimed as early as Sunday, Comelec said.