Minor hitches reported in Marawi in first BARMM polls

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Minor hitches, including an overheating automated counting machine and voters whose names were missing from the master list, were reported in Marawi City as voting got underway Monday for the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

According to a "24 Oras" report by James Paolo Yap, teachers serving as electoral board members arrived as early as 4 a.m. at the Marawi pilot school to prepare the classrooms that would serve as voting centers.

In Barangay Sagonsongan, a portion of the road leading to a polling center was closed and secured by military tanks and soldiers as authorities heightened security in the area.

Voters began arriving early, including those considered vulnerable, as polling stations opened at 5 a.m.

Sarip Karim, one of the early voters, said he went to the polls to help advance peace in the Bangsamoro.

He also expressed hope that the elections would remain peaceful and orderly.

However, a mother and her child were disappointed after their names could not be found on the voters' list.

Rasad Disomangcop, election assistant at Comelec Lanao del Sur said no major incidents were reported, except for an automated counting machine that had to be replaced after overheating. He said the problem was "minor" and they were well prepared to replace the machine. —LDF, GMA News