Weak spots in the operation of the vote counting machines were exposed after more than thirty-one spare or replacement VCMs were used by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Provincial Office in several clustered precincts in more than 15 towns in the province.

Municipal Election Officers (EO) pointed to scanning failure and overheating as the main causes of the breakdown that added to the inconveniences that voters had to grapple with since the start of voting this morning at six o’clock, May 9, 2016.

Comelec Bohol came prepared with 107 spare VCMs and used more than a third leaving a reserve of 72 machines for the crucial transmission phase of the elections.

There were nine designated VCM “replacement hubs” spread across the province with Tagbilaran allotted with 20, Bilar 16, Duero 8, Jagna 12, Jetafe 9, Loon 9, Sagbayan 8, Tubigon 8 and Ubay 17 spare VCM’s.

The Tagbilaran hub was left with eight VCMs of the 20 spares after Alburquerque and Panglao requested three replacements, Loay asking for two and Baclayon, Cortes, Dauis and Tagbilaran one each.

The Tubigon “hub” had nothing to spare with four of their right VCM’s released to Calape and two each to Tubigon and Clarin.

The Bilar “hub” under EO Ma. Divina Gamutin released 12 replacement VCMs with four going to Bilar, and two each to Dagohoy, Carmen, Lila an Sevilla leaving a balance of four VCMs.

Jagna EO Paul Bentulan told DYRD Balita that five VCM’s in Jagna stopped working and had to be replaced while Garcia-Hernandez requested for two and Sierra Bullones three that left him with two.

Duero released four, according to EO Magdalena Gamutin, two for Duero, one each for Anda and Candijay that left her with eight to spare.

EOs of Jetafe, Loon, Sagbayan and Ubay where 23 spare VCM’s were allotted could not  be reached due to their preparation for the approaching transmission phase of the election. (Chito M. Visarra)