The Commission on Elections (Comelec) rescheduled the holding of special elections in several towns in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) from May 29 to June 3.

Comelec Resolution 8946 said the special elections in seven towns in Lanao del Sur and two more in Basilan were reset due to the request of their field officials, led by acting Provincial Election Supervisor (PES) in Lanao del Sur Josllyn Demesa.

In a memorandum, Demesa said there is a need to reschedule the elections because some of the BEIs (Board of Election Inspectors) were not willing to serve or were disqualified due to their relationship with candidates while their replacements still needed to undergo training for poll duties.

The PES also noted that the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) assigned in the municipalities had been pulled out by Smartmatic-Total Information Management (TIM) Corporation.

A failure of elections was declared in the towns of Lumba Bayabao, Lumbaca Unayan, Marogong, Masiu, Sultan Dumalondong, Tubaran and Bayang in Lanao del Sur.

Special elections were also scheduled in eight villages in Al Barka and two more barangays in Maluso, both in Basilan.

Meanwhile, Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal said the special elections on June 3 might affect the party-list standings.

“We are going to conduct special elections on June 3. That will affect the party-list standings,” he said.

But, Larrazabal said, they might already proclaim the first 10 in the party-list organizations either this Friday or next week.