MARAWI CITY – The grenade blast at the office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) here on Tuesday uncovered an alleged scheme to register “flying voters” for next year’s elections amid nationwide efforts to automate the process to ensure the sanctity of ballots, officials said.

As this developed, Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Alonto-Adiong Wednesday urged the Comelec and other authorities to “genuinely preserve the sanctity of ballots in the incoming elections by way of preventing flying voters in the ongoing voters registration.”

Adiong said local authorities have received “nagging reports” that many flying voters that could number to as much as 30,000 were allegedly being brought from neighboring areas in Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, and Iligan City to list up.

“We are appealing also to these people (non-residents of Lanao del Sur and this city) to shun away offers to get registered in our province in exchange of favors in order for them to be spared from possible harm,” Adiong told the Manila Bulletin.

Police said one of two unidentified men lobbed and exploded a hand grenade at the City Hall compound here while a number of people were lining up to register at about 1:30 p.m., instantly killing one person and wounding 20 others.