A voter fills in his ballot at a polling precinct in San Jose Del Monte Central School in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan on Oct. 30, 2023. (Photo by LYN RILLON / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� The Philippine National Police recorded 39 violent incidents in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections held on Monday, according to its data released on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the (Comelec) said 79 winning candidates could not yet be proclaimed due to pending election offense cases.
Based on the PNP鈥檚 data, all regions in the country recorded violent incidents on Election Day, with the exception of the Ilocos and Davao regions聽 鈥� the home regions of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte, respectively.
The 39 incidents 鈥� which are automatically considered as election-related incidents (ERIs) 鈥� led to six people killed and 25 wounded: five of those killed in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and one in Northern Mindanao. A suicide was also recorded in the Mimaropa region.
The ERIs ranged from shootings to cases of physical injury, snatching of ballot boxes, harassment, grave and light threats, and even one instance of car theft.
The Comelec, however, reported 19 people killed and 14 others injured, mostly in the BARMM. The poll body also recorded fatalities in the Zamboanga Peninsula, Central Visayas, Bicol, Calabarzon, Cordillera and even Ilocos.
Post-election activities
PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo noted that there were no major incidents recorded in Libon, Albay province, and Negros Oriental province, both localities placed under the Comelec鈥檚 control.
There were also no major violent incidents reported from Abra, where 29 schoolteachers had backed out of poll duties.
Fajardo said post-election activities are now being monitored, with many barangays still canvassing votes.
Police would escort the transport of ballot boxes for canvassing to prevent their snatching as well as harassment of the proclaimed winners.
鈥淯ntil all the winners are鈥� proclaimed, we will not stop in securing the elections. We will not pull out our police personnel until the end of the election period on Nov. 29,鈥� Fajardo said.
鈥淲e know that barangay elections tend to be more violent, so we are appealing to the losing candidates to respect the decision of their constituents and not cause chaos. The people have already spoken 鈥� on Election Day. Let the Comelec proclaim the winners and serve their posts,鈥� she added.
Meanwhile, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos reminded candidates to file their statements of election contributions and expenditures early鈥攁 requirement by law for the proclaimed winners to assume their posts.
Advice to winners
Following the reported ERIs, Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera called for reforms in the country鈥檚 gun control laws such as tougher penalties.
鈥淲hat is concerning is the persistence of the violence in some localities with long histories of unrest and animosities. They have not grown tired of violence, while many others have transformed into peaceful and progressive communities,鈥� she said.
BHW Rep. Angelica Natasha Co called on the winning candidates to familiarize themselves with the country鈥檚 laws and to 鈥渋mplement well those that are relevant to their barangays.鈥�
Youth officials, in particular, should go beyond organizing basketball tournaments, pageants and talent shows and focus on 鈥渃hampioning child care and protection, LGBTQIA rights, antihazing programs, mental health programs, and addressing juvenile delinquency and unemployment,鈥� she said.