Bangued: A voting center in Bangued, Abra was damaged by fire less than a week before the May 12 midterm elections, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairperson George Garcia said Wednesday. At the weekly Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum in Manila, Garcia said 70 percent of the polling place located inside the Dandangla Elementary School was damaged by the fire, which occurred early Wednesday morning.

According to Philippines News Agency, the cause of the fire is still under investigation, with authorities considering the possibility of it being intentional due to the upcoming elections. Despite the damage, Comelec has decided to set up a makeshift polling center within the school premises to ensure that voting proceeds as planned. “We will not move the polling place. Even if the entire school burned down, we will build a makeshift in that place,” Garcia emphasized.

A total of 992 voters are registered to cast their votes at the affected center. Garcia reassured the public that they would still vote at the same location. The final testing and sealing of the vote-counting machine, which remained unharmed by the fire, are expected to continue as scheduled once electricity is restored in the area.

Garcia urged voters in Abra not to let the incident discourage them from participating in the elections. “Please, to our countrymen, let us not show fear. Let us vote with courage. If we do not vote when the school is burned, it is as if we are saying that they have won, their intimidation has been successful. Let us show that no fire can be a threat to the goal of improving the country,” he stated passionately.

When questioned about the possibility of placing Abra under Comelec control, Garcia explained that while there have been calls for such a measure, there have been no violent incidents in recent weeks. The establishment of Task Force Abra by the Philippine National Police (PNP), a specialized group tasked with maintaining peace in the area, has contributed to this stability.