The reported violent incidents in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections did not affect much the overall voting activity as it has been generally peaceful, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.
On the very day of the elections, a total of 47 violent incidents were reported, but only seven were confirmed by Commission on Elections (Comelec) to be election related. In these 47 cases, 13 were killed.
From the beginning of the election period in April 14 until yesterday, May 14, the number of killed individuals reached up to 35.
PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao said that “1,350 persons were arrested for various violations, including vote buying, liquor ban, illegal possession of firearms and explosives and bladed weapons.”
However, despite these challenges, the PNP still consider the election day “relatively peaceful.”
“We still consider the recently concluded barangay and SK election relatively peaceful because majority of the major parts of the country have been peaceful now and if violent incident may occur, these are in a few areas only and it did not affect the outcome of the elections,” Bulalacao said.
He also said that through “intensified police operations through police response, check point, gun check and service of search warrants,” offenders were caught and arrested.
DAILY NEWS ROUND UP FOR 05/ 15 /18