DATU ABDULLAH SANGKI, MAGUINDANAO — The head of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Saturday said the first few hours of the plebiscite that would decide on dividing Maguindanao went smoothly and has been successful so far.

Aside from a 30-minute delay in the start of the polls in Talayan town where a voting center took time to be prepared, no other interruptions, violent incidents, or irregularities were noticed by the Comelec in the morning of the plebiscite.

Commissioner George Garcia visited a polling place here to observe the conduct of the polls and thanked plebiscite committee members for their work.

Speaking to reporters afterward, Garcia said poll workers in the 36 municipalities had all arrived and prepared ahead of time.

More than 818,000 registered voters are set to participate in the plebiscite.

Even if voting ends at 3 p.m., Garcia said voters in the 30-meter vicinity of the polling place can still cast their ballots.

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He assured Maguindanao voters there should be no worries of irregularities in the canvassing process even if the activity will be held off for the night to wait for the arrival of election returns.

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He estimated municipal canvass proceedings could begin by 8 p.m. and the results could be brought to the provincial capitol in Buluan town that same night or the next day.

Garcia expects results of the polls to come out by Sunday afternoon.

Maguindanao Gov. Bai Mariam Mangudadatu cast her ballot at Campo Cuatro Elementary Datu Sangki, where she is registered.

She also described the plebiscite as quiet and successful.

LOOK: Maguindanao Gov. Bai Mariam Mangudadatu casts her vote for the plebiscite in Datu Abdullah Sangki town, where she is registered.

If “yes” wins the referendum, she will be the 1st governor of Maguindanao Del Sur. pic.twitter.com/n9CJmVi2Ik

— Anjo Bagaoisan (@anjo_bagaoisan) September 17, 2022

LOOK: Voting for the Maguindanao split plebiscite begins in 36 municipalities around the province. Here at the Campo Cuatro Elem. School in Datu Abdullah Sangki town, some residents came an hour before precincts opened. pic.twitter.com/2gma3ES1vx

— Anjo Bagaoisan (@anjo_bagaoisan) September 16, 2022

Voters at the polling place arrived as early as 6 a.m. and underwent minimum health protocols, such as masking and temperature checks.

Illiterate locals and senior citizens were also assisted in casting their votes.

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