ANTIQUE – The Antique Provincial Election Office has received 730 automated counting machines (ACMs) for its 730 clustered precincts, including the 111 contingency ACMs, for the upcoming May 12 midterm elections.
Atty. Wil Arceño, provincial election supervisor and Commission on Elections (Comelec) Region 6 acting assistant regional director, said the official ballots are currently at the Provincial Treasurers’ Office waiting for delivery to 18 municipalities.
He added that other election paraphernalia like the ballot boxes and ink are already complete.
As of this writing, they were preparing for the conduct of the final testing ang sealing of AMCs this week.
Arceño added that security personnel are ready to be deployed to voting centers across the province.
Meanwhile, the Antique Provincial Police Office (APPO) is optimistic that the May 12 polls will be peaceful and orderly across the province.
APPO director Col. Lea Rose Peña expressed confidence in achieving an honest, orderly, and peaceful election (HOPE), citing the positive conduct of local candidates since their Unity Walk and Covenant Signing held on March 14 at the APPO headquarters in San Jose de Buenavista.
“So far since the Unity Walk and Covenant signing of the provincial candidates in March, the province has remained peaceful,” she said.
Peña further urged candidates to remain calm and not be emotional in the final stretch of the campaign.
Antique has a total of 399, 656 registered voters./PN
