By Ferdinand Patinio/PNA
MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Manila will formally start the canvassing of votes for the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) plebiscite on Thursday.
This was confirmed by National Plebiscite Board of Canvassers (NPBOC) Secretary, lawyer Consuelo Diola, after the first of the four Certificates of Canvass (COC), which came from Cotabato City, arrived at the Comelec main office shortly before 5 p.m. Wednesday
Diola said the initial scheduled canvassing was set on Wednesday but it was moved to 2 p.m. on Thursday, noting that they have not yet received any COC.
She, however, noted that there is no delay in the canvassing of votes for the ratification of the BOL that would create the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
She added that the present pace is part of the manual process.
Meanwhile, Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez expects the lowest voter turnout for areas outside the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to be in Cotabato City at 54.22 percent.
As for ARMM provinces, the lowest is in Sulu at 80.2 percent.
“It looks like if you get the average, we may exceed 75 percent,” the poll body official added.
It includes the Regional Plebiscite Certificate of Canvass from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the Provincial Plebiscite Certificate of Canvass from Basilan, and the City Plebiscite Certificates of Canvass from Isabela City and Cotabato City.
