(Second update)
Five persons were confirmed dead while at least four others were hurt in separate shooting incidents in Maguindanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, and Lanao del Norte on the day of the Baranggay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) 2023 on Monday, Oct. 30.
Reports from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said the shootings occurred near polling precincts in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte; Butig, Lanao del Sur; and Bacolod, Lanao del Norte.
Maguindanao del Norte
In Maguindanao del Norte, the PNP identified the fatalities as Juhaimin Ube and an alias "Mistake." Wounded were Mohalidin Solaiman, Jerik Alon, Nasrudin Salik, and Harong Tating.
Meanwhile, the suspects were identified by the police as Romar Abas alias "Mok" and Keds Lidasan; and cohorts Michael Abas and Teng Kapaya.
According to Brig. Gen. Allan Nobleza, regional director of Police Regional Office in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PRO-BARMM), Ube and Mistake were shot dead along Cotabato-Shariff Aguak Road while they were going to a polling precinct in Barangay Bugawas at 6 a.m. -- an hour before the voting started.
Police were investigating whether the incident was related to the election as both the victims were supporters of a candidate for chairman in the same village.
Prior to the shooting incident, a commotion between supporters of rival candidates for chairman took place, police said. Moments later, gunshots were heard and the victims sustained fatal wounds to their bodies.
Meanwhile, other wounded victims were rushed to a hospital for medical treatment.
At Camp Crame in Quezon City, PNP Chief Police General Benjamin Acorda Jr. ordered a manhunt operation against the suspects.
"Hot pursuit operation is now ongoing. We don’t want any escalation of this problem. Nandyan ang ating kapulisan at hinahabol na (Our police personnel are deployed there and they are running after [the suspects])," Acorda noted in a press briefing at the PNP Command Center.
The PNP Chief said reserve forces in BARMM will be deployed in Maguindanao del Norte following the killings to ensure the safety of the voters as the election at Bugawas Elementary School was transferred to a covered court.
Lanao del Sur
In Lanao del Sur, one of the victims was a former chairman in Barangay Poktan and the husband of the incumbent chairwoman there. He was identified as Madid Bao.
The other fatality was a voter who was supposed to cast vote at the Bayabao Central School.
The Philippine Army's 103d Infantry Brigade said Bao was shot by a lone gunman near the Bayabao Central School at 6:25 a.m.
The incident was being investigated if it was related to the polls as Bao was reportedly shot by the rival candidate of his wife.
According to a report, Bao fired the first shot towards the suspect but he missed. This prompted the suspect to retaliate.
The suspect is reportedly a relative of Bao and is running opposite the victim's wife.
Bao was brought to Amai Pakpak Medical Center in Marawi City where he was declared dead on arrival.
Lanao del Norte
In Lanao del Norte, an incumbent chairman running for a reelection and her supporters were on their way to a polling precinct in Sitio Perlo, Brgy. Punod when a group allegedly belonging to a rival candidate ambushed them around 6:10 a.m.
Samena Abdul-Latif, incumbent chairman of Brgy. Punod, and her supporters were onboard a yellow Isuzu Elf van with plate number TQO 639 when they were waylaid by the alleged supporters of her rival.
A report from the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army said a heated argument between the two parties ensued. At the height of the commotion, gunshots were suddenly heard.
A certain Disomimba Samsoding, niece of Abdul-Latif's husband, died in the incident, said Maj. Dominador Agorda III, operations officer of the 2nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade.
Election-related incidents
Acorda said there were 31 confirmed election-related incidents (ERIs) and 70 suspected ERIs recorded by the PNP nationwide since the start of the campaign period on Oct. 19
Of this, BARMM has the most number of validated ERIs with 10 incidents; followed by Cordillera with five; Northern Mindanao (Region 10) with four; Ilocos (Region 1) and Eastern Visayas (Region 8) with three each; Bicol (Region 5) and Central Visayas (Region 7) with two apiece; and Calabarzon (Region 4A) and Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9) with one each.
On the day of BSKE itself, at least five more incidents -- four fire or arson (burning) and one fistfight -- were recorded by the PNP: two in BARMM, two in Northern Mindanao, and one in Bicol.
"These are all being investigated and one of the incidents appeared to be caused by faulty electrical wiring at a place for electoral exercise," Acorda said.
In Lanao del Norte, a poll watcher of a candidate for chairman in Barangay Bangco in the municipality of Matungao was punched by another poll watcher from a rival candidate.
A report from the Matungao Municipal Police Station said Sowhyb Macarandang, 31, was allegedly punched by the suspect identified as Truman Dibaratun.
Police said Macarandang arrived at Matungao National High School around 4:45 a.m. when he was approached by Dibaratun.
Dibaratun then questioned the presence of Macarandang in the area, to which the victim responded that he is also a watcher and "he knows his job." Police said the suspect got angry and punched the victim.
Vote-buying
The PNP has also monitored a total of 17 cases of vote-buying nationwide, Acorda revealed.
"Ang talagang mahirap na parte dyan (What's really difficult here is that) there are some who are witnesses or victims that are not willing to testify. Iyan ang isang obstacle namin. For us to prove vote-buying, we need someone to tell that there were given money in consideration for that vote," Acorda explained.
There were three incidents each of vote-buying in Ilocos Region and Soccksksargen (Region 12); two in Western Visayas (Region 6); and one each in National Capital Region (NCR), Cagayan Valley (Region 2), Central Luzon (Region 3), 4A, Mimaropa (Region 4B), 7, 9, 10, and BARMM.
"We have taken immediate action by relaying these information to the Commission on Elections for proper disposition," Acorda stated.
Abra
Acorda said that at least 39 cops in Abra were also deployed as board of election inspectors (BEIs) as Department of Education (DepEd) personnel suddenly backed out of their duties due to intense political rivalry.
"There were some reported na mga umatras like in Abra at napaghandaan naman natin ito (There were some reported cases [of DepEd personnel backing out] like in Abra and we are prepared for this)," he shared.
Record from the PNP showed a total of 292 candidates for different elective posts in Abra have withdrawn their candidacies.
A total of 7,632 PNP personnel were trained to be BEIs nationwide.
Albay, Negros Oriental
In Libon, Albay and Negros Oriental - both are areas placed under Comelec control, Acorda said a total of 332 PNP personnel were fielded as augmentation forces on the day of BSKE to ensure the safe, peaceful and orderly conduct of the polls.
Aside from this, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) sent 588 soldiers and 518 CAFGU Active Auxiliaries (CAAs) while the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) assigned 32 personnel in Libon and Negros Oriental to assist the PNP.