RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE. Voters line up early at San Nicolas Central School in Gapan City, Nueva Ecija on Monday (May 9, 2022). The conduct of the local and national elections in Central Luzon went smoothly amid minor glitches in the operation of vote counting machines (VCMs) in some polling precincts in the region. (PNA photo by Zorayda S. Tecson) CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga - The conduct of the local and national elections in Central Luzon went smoothly on Monday despite minor glitches in the operation of vote counting machines (VCMs) in some polling precincts in the region. Lawyer Elmo Duque, assistant regional director of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), said as of early Monday afternoon, there were at least 26 VCMs and four secure digital or SD cards that were found defective in a number of polling precincts in Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, Bataan, Aurora, Pampanga, and Tarlac. He, however, said the glitches have been addressed even as he noted that there are 194 contingency VCMs allocated for the region. In the case of the defective SD cards, Duque said there are seven provincial technical hubs in the region for expeditious repairs. "Aside from the usual problems of having difficulty in finding names of registered voters, the conduct of voting process in the region has so far gone smoothly," he said in a radio interview. In terms of peace and order situation, the conduct of elections in the region was generally peaceful and orderly amid the isolated shooting incident in General Tinio town and the tension that broke between local candidates' supporters in San Antonio town, both in Nueva Ecija. "Still over and above, the peace and order situation on the ground is still manageable. At kasama po natin ang (together with the) Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Comelec and partner-agencies, we remain on top of the situation," Police Regional Office-Central Luzon (PRO-3) information officer Maj. Aileen Rose Stanger said. Brig. Gen. Matthew P. Baccay, PRO-3 regional director, said cases were filed through inquest proceedings by the members of the Special Investigation Task Force against those involved in the incidents. Baccay said five counts of frustrated murder and violations of gun ban and illegal possession of firearms were filed against 19 security personnel of General Tinio town reelectionist Mayor Isidro Pajarillaga. On the other hand, five supporters of former General Tinio Mayor Virgilio Bote, who got wounded during the encounter, were also charged with violation of the gun ban and illegal possession of firearms law. (PNA) }