CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — The barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls started smoothly in Pampanga province with only the usual election problems noted, said the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

“No officials from any precinct have reported any problems yet, so election in the province is 100 percent rolling,” said lawyer Temie Lambino, provincial election supervisor, said.

The voting started at 7 a.m. Monday, but the usual problems of missing and misplaced names, confusion amid “unorganized” lists, and delays in the opening of some precincts surfaced.

There are at least 3,804 clustered precincts in Pampanga’s 538 villages.

Lambino reminded the voters that the polling precincts are open until 3 p.m. without a noon break.

Unlike the May 2010 national elections, there were no precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines in Monday’s elections. Read rest of story

ANGELES CITY — Police in this city and nearby Mabalacat town are prepared for Monday’s barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, an official said.

Angeles City Police Director Danilo Bautista said he will deploy more policemen in polling places to maintain peace and order during the elections.

He said they have already finalized plans for the deployment of troops and a final briefing and accounting of personnel will be held on Sunday.

“Same templates as of May 10 election in preparation mi minus precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machine mu (We’ll have the same templates minus the PCOS machines),” Bautista said.

He said there are no hotspots in this city despite election-related violence in the past. Read rest of story

ANGELES CITY- Aspiring village chiefs and council members from three villages here forged a peace covenant in a bid to prevent election-related violence during the October 25 polls.

At least 10 aspiring village chiefs and 39 aspiring council members from villages of Balibago, Anunas and Malabanias signed the covenant for honest, orderly and peaceful elections (Hope) at the Police Station 4.

Senior Inspector Robledo Zinampan, intelligence and investigation officer of station 4, said the covenant signing aims to impart to candidates the observance of laws during the election period.

The covenant states that the candidates are committed to abide by all the election laws, Commission on Election (Comelec) resolutions, rules and regulations such as the use of lawful election propaganda and campaign materials in the conduct of their campaign.

It also states that the candidates give consent to police to remove any election propaganda and campaign materials that are prohibited by law. Read rest of story

ANGELES CITY — A defeated mayoralty candidate filed an election protest, saying massive fraud and vote buying happened in 185 clustered precincts in this city during the May polls.

In a protest case filed through his counsel Sixto Brillantes on May 24, Mayor Francis “Blueboy” Nepomuceno said he is “protesting and impugning the counted and/or canvassed results in all of the 185 clustered precincts in Angeles City” as the election “was attended and marred by rampant vote buying perpetrated with impunity by the protestee (Mayor- elect Edgardo “Edpam” Pamintuan) with the assistance of his followers and cohorts.” Read rest of story

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — Defeated congressional candidate Jose Quiwa III clarified Saturday that he is not blaming the Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) on alleged poll “irregularities.”

“I just want to clarify that we are not pointing fingers to our teachers who served as BEIs in the May 10 election in the third district, but rather we are questioning the reported systematic vote buying, vote padding and vote shaving allegedly committed by our political rival and his supporters,” Quiwa said. Read rest of story

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — Third district Representative Aurelio Gonzales brushed off as a “loser’s privilege in a democracy” the protest case filed by a losing congressional candidate.

“In fact, I welcome his move, if only to give him the satisfaction that he needs for whatever it is worth, and for the vindication of the people whose reputation he has seriously damaged by his allegations of wrongdoing,” Gonzales said in a statement sent to Sun.Star. Read rest of story

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — Governor-elect Lilia “Nanay Baby” Pineda has called for unity among Kapampangans, saying it is time to work together for the development of Pampanga.

Pineda urged his political rivals and supporter to set aside politics and join hands in reconciliation. Read rest of story

CANDABA — Reelected Mayor Jerry Pelayo had a message Monday for mayoralty candidates he defeated, reminding them that elections are not won by political demolition and bad tactics but by sincere and honest public service.

“The people will be the ultimate judge of a public servant’s deeds. I do hope that the people of these rivals would now leave political differences behind so that Candaba can move forward,” Pelayo said. Read rest of story

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -– Governor-elect Lilia “Nanay Baby” Pineda said Sunday she is not in a hurry to assume the Pampanga governorship.

Pineda issued the statement amid the issuance of a writ of execution seeking to install her as governor. Read rest of story