Bangued voting center fire caused an estimated ₱7 million in damages after several classrooms and equipment were destroyed in an early morning blaze at Dangdangla Elementary School in Bangued, Abra.
According to PNP Abra Information Officer PLtCol. Daniel Pel-ey, investigators confirmed with school personnel that the fire severely damaged classrooms, the principal’s office, and numerous instructional materials and school equipment.
Pel-ey clarified that the incident is not currently being treated as election-related, as it does not meet the criteria involving a Commission on Elections (COMELEC) official, a candidate, or a supporter.
The Bureau of Fire Protection is continuing its investigation to determine the exact cause of the blaze at the designated polling place.
COMELEC had not yet delivered the automated counting machines (ACMs) to the site when the fire occurred, thus postponing the final testing and sealing (FTS) of the voting equipment.
COMELEC Chairman George Garcia stated he did not approve the local election officer’s recommendation to relocate the voting center to a safer location.
Instead, Garcia said a makeshift voting facility will be set up in the same compound, noting that two classrooms remain intact and only one precinct was affected.
Based on COMELEC records, Bangued, Abra has a total of 35,227 registered voters.