MARAWI CITY – Concerned over the alleged undeterred registration of “flying voters” in this city and Lanao del Sur, local leaders said the problem will be an “acid test” to the new Commission on Elections (Comelec) leadership’s promise to minimize if not eradicate frauds in the first automated electoral process in 2010.

Amid Comelec’s admission that the automated poll machines could not detect any case of fraudulent registration, the leaders also appealed to “flying voters” and their “recruiters” to let their conscience prevail in the coming elections so as to avoid harsh consequences.

“We appeal to the conscience of residents from outside areas who registered illegally in our province to avoid voting in our area,” Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Alonto-Adiong Jr. told the Manila Bulletin.

Adiong cited as example the October 20 grenade blast that killed one person and injured 20 others while lining up to register at the City Hall compound here.

Investigators said the lone fatality and 15 of the injured were among 56 residents of Samburun, Linamon, Lanao del Norte allegedly recruited to list up here. At least 20 of the recruits had registered before the blast, they said.