Except for some issues, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said the first day of overseas voting for the May 2022 polls was generally peaceful and successful.
"It was generally peaceful and the opening of our posts was successful except for some issues that we can't avoid or logistical issues because of Covid situations," Comelec - Office for Overseas Voting (OFOV) head Commissioner Marlon Casquejo said in a press briefing Monday, April 11.
He said of the 92 Philippine posts, the posts in Islamabad, Timor Leste, and Shanghai were unable to start their elections.
"In Islamabad, there was an issue in the release of election materials in Pakistan Customs and it is expected to be released today," said Casquejo.
"In Timor Leste, there was a problem in the flights from the Philippines going to Timor Leste...it is expected that there will be a flight this upcoming Thursday via Kuala Lumpur and then going to Timor Leste," he added.
As for Shanghai, Casquejo said, they cannot mobilize their people due to the lockdown.
"All the materials are already in Shanghai but yet to be delivered to the posts because of the Covid restrictions due to the extreme lockdown," he said.
Casquejo said other posts like Baghdad, Iraq, Tripoli, Islamabad, Afghanistan and Ukraine have no capacity to conduct voting because of security issues.
He said the Philippine posts in Wellington, New York, and Milan have yet to open their polling centers but the official ballots have already been mailed to voters as it will be using the automated postal voting system.
The 30-day overseas voting period is from April 10 to May 9, 2022.