PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. (PNA photo by Robert Alfiler)
MANILA – The number of election-related incidents (ERIs) for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) has climbed to 31 as voters trooped to the polls on Monday.
In a press briefing at Camp Karingal, Quezon City, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. said most of these incidents were recorded in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
“We have registered 10 and also, we have those reported shootings. I was told by our RD (regional director), they have controlled the area where these shootings occurred and they are just waiting for the signal of the Comelec officials or the people assigned there before they can start voting but they are in control (and) our men are in control of these areas,” Acorda said.
On Monday, two voters were killed while five others were wounded after gunmen opened fire in Datu Odin Sinsuat town, Maguindanao del Norte.
In Butig, Lanao del Sur, a shootout between the husband of an incumbent village chairperson and his wife's opponent ensued just minutes before the start of the polls.
Meanwhile, a village chief and five others were wounded in a shooting amid the ongoing polls in Barangay Lahi-Lahi in Basilan's Tuburan town.
Despite the rise in poll-linked incidents, Acorda said all polling centers nationwide have already opened for this year's polls.
Peaceful polls in NCR, Provinces
Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos commended the PNP for effectively maintaining peace and order throughout the country on the days leading to the BSKE, especially in the National Capital Region.
"As per reports, it’s very peaceful right now (Metro Manila). On the other hand, the police are doing their job which is to catch those engaged in vote buying and for those who sell their votes, I'm warning you, the police are there to catch you," Abalos told reporters.
Abalos, who also cast his vote at the Highway Hills Integrated School in Barangay Highway Hills, Mandaluyong City, said voters have a responsibility of ensuring fraud-free and credible elections.
National Capital Region Police Office chief Brig. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said except for four reported cases of vote buying and three cases of liquor ban violation, the village and youth polls in the region are peaceful.
He said more than 150 body-worn cameras (BWCs) were used for monitoring activities in Monday's polls.
“All of the 150 plus BWCs are working. This will be immediately followed by the ('Undas') holidays on Nov. 1 and 2 so we need our police officers to use these BWCs so that we can document our security operations," he added.
Meanwhile, lawyer Elmo Duque, assistant regional director of Comelec-Central Luzon, said they have also not received any untoward election-related incidents except for some minor problems, including alleged vote-buying.
“Mula 7 a.m. na magsimula ang botohan hanggang sa matapos ng 3 p.m. ay naging mapayapa ang pagboto ng mga kababayan natin sa buong Central Luzon (From 7 a.m. during the start of the voting until it ended at 3 p.m., the voting of our citizenry in the entire Central Luzon was peaceful),” Duque said in a regional television news interview.
He also said police and military personnel immediately acted upon reports of alleged vote-buying which led to an investigation.
“Sa mga ilang naulat na vote-buying, isa lang ang naaresto at yung iba yielded negative results (Out of the few reported vote-buying incidents, one was arrested while the other yielded negative results),” he said.
Based on the report of the Police Regional Office-Central Luzon (PRO-3), a 52-year-old businessman running for barangay kagawad (councilman) was arrested by authorities for alleged vote-buying activity in Pandi, Bulacan on Oct. 28.
PRO-3 chief, Brig. Gen. Jose Hidalgo Jr. cited the collaborative efforts of the security personnel and the public that resulted in the smooth election process in the region.
Meanwhile Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPPO) information officer Capt. Renante dela Cruz, in an interview on Monday, said the conduct of the BSKE in the province is generally peaceful as of 3 p.m.
“There were no significant incidents reported and we hope this will continue until the election period is over,” he said.
Commission on Elections Pangasinan election supervisor lawyer Marino Salas told the Philippine News Agency that they recorded minor issues such as missing names of voters and the use of minors to distribute campaign cards.
"We have monitored that all the precincts have opened although there was a delay in a village in Mabini town. Many precincts have already started counting the votes but there are individuals who have not cast their votes so they are still being accommodated,” he said.
Proclamation of winners may happen in some villages within the day, he added.
There are 6,330 clustered precincts in the entire province for its 1,364 villages and 2.1 million registered voters. (With reports from Priam Nepomuceno, Hilda Austria and Zorayda Tecson/PNA)
