PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur -- The canvassing of ballots in the town of Dimataling, this province, was disrupted for several hours after the electricity was cut-off at the municipal hall where the counting is being conducted on Thursday night.
Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Luis Licup, Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) director, said six masked gunmen shot the power transformer outside the town hall of Dimataling around 11 p.m. Thursday, thus, cutting-off electricity at the municipal hall building.
Licup said the gunmen fled towards Barangay Sugbay Uno when soldiers and policemen responded to the site.
He added that no one was killed or wounded during the incident.
Recovered from the crime scene were 23 empty shells and two live ammunitions of caliber 5.56-millimeter rifle, and two empty shells and three bullets of caliber .30 M1 Garand rifle.
Licup said the town's election officer has ordered placing all the Vote Counting Machines (VCMs) at the municipal treasurer’s office while the security personnel and poll watchers stayed inside the town hall.
Lt. Col. Marlowe Patria, Army’s 53rd Infantry Battalion commander, confirmed about the incident and said security has been tightened at the municipal hall.
Patria said the canvassing of votes resumed after power has been restored at the municipal hall around 7 a.m. Friday.
“We leave it to the police to investigate and establish the identities of the perpetrators,” Patria added.
Initial results showed that incumbent Dimataling Mayor Maria Dolores Baya is leading the mayoralty race with 3,151 votes against her opponent Abel Yrauda's 2,536 votes. (PNA)
