FILE PHOTO: Comelec Commissioner George Garcia speaks to members of the press. John Eric Mendoza/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) were conducting a hot pursuit operation against gunmen involved in an attack near a polling precinct in Maguindanao.
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner George Garcia on Monday said authorities were investigating if the incident was election-related.
“‘Yun pong nangyaring pamamaril allegedly sa may bandang area ng Buluan, Maguindanao, ‘yan po ay may hot pursuit operation po ang AFP at ang PNP at tinitignan po ang anggulo kung ito’y talagang election-related,” he said in a press briefing.
(On the alleged shooting in Buluan, Maguindanao, the AFP and PNP launched a hot pursuit operation and they are checking if this is really election-related.)
The shooting incident resulted in the death of three people and the wounding of another.
‘Vote and receipt mismatch’
Garcia also asked the public to not easily believe claims of mismatched vote and receipt results.
The Comelec official noted that a person in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, alleged that he voted for a certain candidate but the receipt showed another bet.
“’Yun pong lumalabas na balita sa Narvacan daw sa Ilocos, merong isang botante na bumoto. Tapos ‘yung binoto niya ay iba ‘yung lumabas sa kanyang resibo,” said Garcia.
(The news says there is a voter in Narvacan, Ilocos who cast his/her vote. The one he/she voted for is different from what is shown in the receipt.)
“Hanggang sa kasalukuyan po wala naman siyang maipakita na ebidensya at nakakapagtaka po bakit bukod tangi sa lahat ng bumoto sa Narvacan, nag-iisa lang siya na sabi hindi tumutugma ‘yung kanyang resibo. So, ‘wag po sana natin paniwalaan kaagad ‘yun. Ongoing pa po ang botohan natin,” he added.
(Until now, he/she cannot show any proof and I wonder why only he/she is the only one in Narvacan who says so. Do not believe those immediately. The voting is ongoing.)
Garcia pointed out that the accusations were “unfair, especially to the hardworking men and women, the members of the electoral board.”
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