PNP: Polls ‘very peaceful’ but violence reported
Philippine National Police chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil on Monday said Election Day was “very peaceful” around the country—even amid reports of suspected election-related violence acknowledged by police earlier in the day.
“[It was] very peaceful,” Marbil told reporters, even as he also said arrests by the police continued.
“As I said, we will get rid of those who will disrupt the elections and we want arrests. I want more arrests. No one should disrupt the elections,” he said.
In an earlier press briefing, PNP public information office chief, Col. Randulf Tuano, said there were reports of election-related violence in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and other areas.
Echoing Marbil, Cordillera police maintained that elections in the region were “generally peaceful and orderly.”
“It’s peaceful, and no disturbances have been reported,” said Brig. Gen. David Peredo, Cordillera regional police director.
But in Bangued, provincial capital of Abra, at least two voters were injured when gunfire broke out near a polling center in Barangay Sagap, causing panic among the crowd.
Witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots near the riverside, with a gray pickup truck and a Mitsubishi Montero seen speeding away from the area. The violence was captured in a viral video showing chaos and terrified screams at the voting site.
The victims, transported by tricycle, were confirmed in stable condition at Seares Memorial Hospital following the incident at 9 a.m.
Police Lt. Col. Daniel Pel-ey, public information officer of the Abra police, said the shooting happened some 300 meters from Sagap Elementary School where residents were voting.
Local election officer Reyman Solbita said voting continued there. “This is a police matter,” he told the Inquirer, noting that he had not yet received an official report from the police.
Hot spot
A confrontation at a polling center was also reported—and a video of that incident circulated on social media—between congressional candidate and La Paz Mayor Joseph Sto. Niño “JB” Bernos and his nephew, gubernatorial candidate and Bangued Vice Mayor Joaquin Enrico “Kiko” Bernos.
Comelec rules bar candidates from staying inside polling precincts unless they are voting. In the video, JB was heard ordering Kiko to leave.
The Bernoses are known to be divided by politics—with Kiko, son of reelectionist Vice Gov. Joy Bernos and JB’s late brother Marc Ysrael, running against former Gov. Eustaquio “Takits” Bersamin, a candidate backed by JB.
Abra is also known as a hot spot of political violence, particularly during elections.
Barangay chief nabbed
In Negros Occidental, two supporters of reelectionist Mayor Joedith Gallego of Silay City were killed at Barangay Mambulac by gunmen from inside a moving van at 7 a.m. on Monday.
Seven others in the scene were wounded in the incident.
Police later arrested the suspects, one of whom was identified as barangay captain Arnie Benedicto of Lantad, a supporter of Gallego’s opponent, Mark Golez.
A lawyer of Golez, however, denied Benedicto was the gunman, while Gallego said his supporters were on the lookout for vote-buying.
The fatalities were identified as Albert Salimbot and Ronnie Piedad, both 47, and the wounded were Ruel Espinosa, 42; Rick Ortillano, 46; Wilfredo Cuello, 46; Glenn Gutierrez, 49; Ginray Guitche, 32; and Jason Belleza and Joey Pomares.
Political tensions
In Mindanao, three people were killed in Lanao del Sur province where political tensions had been high, prompting the police and military to stay on alert.
In Bayang town, Capt. Edmundo Nabor, the local police chief, said municipal council candidate Afganie Balt Taha, 38, and his brother, Sumbag village chief Walid Balt Taha, 35, were shot several times at 8 a.m. on Monday as they were walking to Mauyag Papandayan National High School in Barangay Rinaborto to cast their votes.
The Taha brothers were taken to a hospital in Binidayan town where they were pronounced dead. Their assassins have yet to be identified.
An hour earlier in Maguing town, Arafat Haron Ishak was stabbed seven times by an attacker with whom he had a fight.
In Basilan province, three people including a poll watcher were killed and two others were wounded following a skirmish in a village in Hadji Mohammad Ajul town on Sunday, ahead of the elections.
Four people were wounded in the municipality of Corella, Davao del Norte, where election-related violence was also reported early on Monday.
‘Full force’
Marbil said more police forces would be deployed by Monday night as “we want a full force by 6 p.m. up to 12 [midnight] during the counting.”
“We need more people by that time. We will turn our attention to secure the canvassing of votes,” he said.
The PNP had deployed 160,000 police officers nationwide to ensure peaceful and orderly elections, with a full alert status in place until yesterday.
According to PNP data, a total of 34,494 voting centers were opened as of 7 a.m. on May 12, or some 91.92 percent of the total number of polling centers across the country. —REPORTS FROM ROBERT DEJON, EDWIN FERNANDEZ, DIVINA SUSON, JOEY GABIETA, CARLA GOMEZ, ALLAN MACATUNO AND KIMBERLIE QUITASOL
