Heated village, youth elections seen

By Veronica Uy INQUIRER.net MANILA, Philippines--Acting poll chief Resurreccion Borra has warned the public against taking lightly the importance and the level of rivalry in the upcoming barangay (village) and Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) elections on October 29. "Let's not underestimate [these] elections because it will be hotly contested. Brothers will run against brothers; fathers against sons; relatives against neighbors. All do not want to lose and amor propio or pride will not create the atmosphere conducive to a free, fair, and intelligent elections," he told reporters at the Senate shortly before the start of the hearing on the Comelec's budget. Borra, who took over the helm of the Commission on Elections following the resignation of erstwhile chairman Benjamin Abalos, said the poll body will hold a command conference with the military and the policemen next Wednesday in Camp Crame to discuss the possible election hot spots or areas where violence may occur. The acting Comelec chairman also said that the poll body is halfway through its preparations for the elections at the grassroots. Borra said that it appears that there would be no postponement of the polls. "We're only guided by the law. If there's no law postponing it, we will go ahead with the elections," he said. He said the printing of ballots, election returns, and other accountable forms is likewise at the halfway point. Borra said that as per Comelec records, there are 33 million voters for the village polls and two million for the youth polls. He said the 244,000 election precincts nationwide would be clustered into 165,000 precincts.