Four poll watchers were held by Cotabato City Police after a commotion broke out over the two-hour delay in the opening of a polling center on Monday, according to a report by GMA News’ Cedric Castillo.
In a video forwarded to GMA News, poll watchers were seen getting involved in a rumble in a voting center in Barangay Rosary Heights – 10.
WATCH: Fistfight erupts among poll watchers of rival candidates in Cotabato City, 3 are hurt. @gmanews @teomsteomskie pic.twitter.com/h0WyMo1M3K
— Cedric Castillo (@cedric_castillo) May 13, 2019
According to witnesses, the commotion started when a poll watcher forcefully entered the Canizares National High School after losing patience as the voting center was already two hours late in opening. Voting should have started at 6 a.m.
Some of the poll watchers of a rival candidate were bothered by the action. They confronted the poll watcher who barged in the voting center which resulted to a heated argument.
After the incident, three were reported hurt including a man who was rushed to the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center after sustaining wounds on his face and left arm.
The man, who declined to be identified, said when he saw a poll watcher entering the voting center, he just followed. Then the commotion started.
According to Cotabato City Police Station 2, no one filed a complaint regarding the incident.
Cotabato City has been placed under the control of the Commission on Elections due to the political tension in the area. (GMA Eleksyon 2019)