With only three days before Election Day, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) yesterday declared readiness to hold the national and local polls on Monday.

In an interview, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said: "The Comelec is fully prepared for the coming elections."

He said Comelec has completed the final testing and sealing of the automated counting machines in all the polling precincts without problems.

The poll chief said they are also closely monitoring possible peace order issues.

Sixty eight million voters will be electing 12 new senators. one congressman per city, provincial governors and mayors on Monday.

People who have been arrested for violating the nationwide election gun ban reached 2,940, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.

The top three regions with the most numbers of violators are Metro Manila with 1,011 followed by Central Visayas, 380 and Central Luzon, 362.

A majority of the violators are civilians with 2,828, including 13 foreigners and three minors who were caught by police officers in various operations since the gun ban started last Jan. 12. DMS