At least five killed on BSKE day, PNP says incidents may rise
At least five people were killed while almost 10 were injured in southern Philippines during the Barangay and Sanguniang Kabataan Election (BSKE) on Monday, with police saying these incidents may increase.
In a press conference in Camp Crame, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. said election related incidents (ERIs) may match or surpass the tally in the 2018 polls.
Acorda made the assessment after 35 validated election related incidents were recorded while 40 ERIs were monitored during the last BSKE in 2018.
“There is a possibility that it will almost be the same or it may exceed,” he said. Voting started at 7 am and ended at 3 pm.
In a radio interview, Brig Gen. Allan Nobleza, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Police Regional Director said two of the fatalities were recorded in a shooting incident in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao were three other people were injured.
"We have already identified four suspects, we identified their names and we are going to file corresponding cases," he said.
Nobleza said one was killed in Lumba- Bayabao, Lanao del Sur while the husband of a candidate running for barangay chairman was shot by his brother in Butig within the same province.
"He was shot by his own brother, identified as Jamael Bao... we have an eye witness. We're going to file a case. The suspect is also running as barangay chairman in Barangay Poktan in Butig, Lanao del Sur," he said.
Nobleza said an unidentified victim was shot in an armed confrontation in Maguindanao del Sur around 11 am while four individuals were injured in a commotion in the same province.
He said six victims including a candidate running for chairman in Barangay Lahi-lahi were also injured in another shooting incident in Tuburan, Basilan.
"We're able to identify the suspects. We're able to identify their names and we will file corresponding cases," he added.
Nobleza said a total of 1,201 police personnel are serving as electoral boards in different areas of BARMM where teachers refuse to perform election duties due to the conflicts in the area.
"We have 1,200 electoral boards who are PNP members, 610 of them are in Maguindanao del Sur, 1,198 in Lanao del Sur, 280 in Cotabato City, 109 in Maguindanao del Norte, 112 in Basilan and 90 in Sulu, in total there are 1,201 police personnel that are now serving as electoral boards throughout the Bangsamoro region," he said.
Acorda said despite the incidents there were no failures of elections declared in the country.
Based on data released by the PNP Directorate for Operations there were a total of 11 incidents recorded during the voting hours from 7 a.m. up to 3 pm nationwide on election day. Robina Asido/DMS
