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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider PNP: Situation back to normal in Abra after 'shady' election fuss

PNP: Situation back to normal in Abra after 'shady' election fuss

Published May 12, 2025 03:39 pm

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said the security situation in Abra province has returned to normal after two poll watchers were caught in a now-viral video while assisting elderly voters in shading their ballots during the midterm elections on Monday, May 12.

Police personnel responded to a polling precinct in Tayum town after a commotion ensued when two poll watchers were caught on cam while shading the ballots of two elderly voters, according to the Police Regional Office in Cordillera Administrative Region (PRO-Cor).

“’Yung nagviral sa Tayum na ‘yung shading ng vote ng watcher sa ballot na nag-a-assist despite na hindi sila authorized ay naaksyunan naman po kaagad (The viral incident in Tayum where the watcher was assisting in shading a ballot despite him not authorized to do so was acted upon immediately),” Police Lt. Col. Carolina Lacuata, spokesperson of the PRO-Cor, said in a media briefing at the PNP monitoring center in Camp Crame, Quezon City. 

”Na-pacify po, nagrespond ang ating troops na nasa paligid lang at napatigil lang ‘yung allegedly ginagawa ng supporters ng isang political party (It was pacified, our troops who are nearby the area responded and they stopped what the alleged supporters of a political party were doing),” she added.

The incident was caught in a video posted on the Facebook page of Abra Vice Governor Joy Bernos. It has since raked in at least 21 million views, 234,000 reactions, and 11,400 comments.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia said the two poll watchers have already been identified. The poll chief said the watchers were removed from their posts and may face charges.

According to the Comelec, those belonging to vulnerable sectors such as senior citizens, persons with disability (PWDs), and pregnant women may be assisted in casting their votes by their relatives or electoral board members, not poll watchers.

The Comelec said that it is an election offense when an individual, other than those mentioned above, shades ballots for other people inside a polling precinct on the day of the polls.

The PRO-Cor said it was continuously monitoring the situation in Abra.

“For now okay naman na po, continuing na ang voting doon at wala na pong gulo doon (For now, the situation is okay, the voting continues and there is no mess there),” Lacuata said.

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PNP Abra shading election offense May 12 midterm elections
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