Police forces across the country will remain on alert as all the possible worst-case scenarios are still being monitored and secured until such time that all the winning candidates for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) formally assume their positions.

This is the reason, according to Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo, why most of the deployed policemen were ordered to remain in their posts despite the ending of almost all the canvassing of votes on Monday night, Oct. 30.

“We are still secure.ng all the post-scenarios that include bringing the ballots to the municipal and provincial levels to the national office of the Comelec (Commission on Elections) because they require police security which the PNP will definitely do,” said Fajardo.

“We are not also discounting the possibility that some of those who lost the elections may not accept their defeat and may initiate trouble and harassment. So these are some of the reasons why we have not pulled out our personnel until now,” she added.

Fajardo said the PNP will remain on alert until the end of the election period of Nov. 29.

BSKE stats

The election period started on Aug. 28 and as of Oct. 30, the PN recorded 35 validated election-related incidents (ERIs).

Fajardo said this is lower by around 12 percent compared to the 2018 BSKE wherein 40 ERIs were recorded.

The Comelec earlier reported that a total of 19 people died while 19 others were injured in election-related incidents since Aug. 28. Most of the fatalities were in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The PNP, for its part, said a total of six people died during the 39 incidents that it recorded on election day on Monday, Oct. 30, five of them were in BARMM while the other one was in Northern Mindanao.

Of the 39 incidents recorded on election day, Fajardo said eight of them happened in BARMM, seven in Northern Mindanao and six in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon). The rest occurred in all the other regions in the country.

Most of the incidents recorded are related to violations of Comelec rules that include vote-buying and vote-selling, shooting incidents and physical injuries.

For vote-buying incidents, PNP records revealed that a total of 27 people were arrested across the country, most of them in Calabarzon, Cagayan Valley Region, Metro Manila and Ilocos Region.

A total of 358 people, on the other hand, were collared for violation of the liquor ban

For gun ban, a total of 2.032 were collared while a total of 1,540 firearms were confiscated.

More peaceful

Citing data from the recent elections, Fajardo said the 2023 barangay polls are more peaceful, adding that no less than the Comelec also made the assessment.

In a statement issued after the casting of votes on Monday, PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda said this year’s barangay elections are harmonious and organized.

“We have encountered challenges along the way but these did not affect the overall conduct of the electoral process today. In the face of these hurdles, we have not faltered. We have risen to the occasion, determined to find swift and effective resolutions. Our collective efforts have ensured that the integrity and fairness of the electoral process remain unscathed,” said Acorda.

“In conclusion, the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections exemplify our democracy’s resilience. The success of BSKE is a tribute to the unified strength of government agencies and the unwavering dedication of our citizens. We extend our profound thanks to all participants and the media for their invaluable coverage and vigilance in this democratic endeavor,” he added.