‘Very minimal incidents’ in barangay elections 2013–Comelec
Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) recorded “very minimal” incidents during the day of the barangay (village) elections.
An hour before the elections ended at 3p.m., Comelec chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. noted 18 incidents in about 42,000 villages nationwide.
“We are happy … everything appears to be okay,” he said at a press conference.
Incidents reported include delayed arrival of ballot boxes, ballot snatching, etc, but all these were immediately remedied by their contingency plans.
Bartolome Sinocruz Jr., executive director for operations, said that the opening of precincts in the following regions were normal: National Capital Region, Cordillera Administrative Regions, Regions 1 (Ilocos), 3 (Central Luzon), 4-A (CALABARZON) and 4-B (MIMAROPA), 7 (Central Visayas), 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula), 11 (Davao Region), 12 (SOCCSKSARGEN), and CARAGA.
Strafing incidents were reported in
– Barangay Basco in Mariveles
– Barangay Mati in Digos City, Davao del Sur, which left one tanod wounded
-Brgy Macasindig in Midsayap, Cotabato
Other shooting and gunfire incidents were reported in
– Brgy Poblacion in Toboso in Negros Occidental, which killed one
– Brgy. Nagba in Cuartero in Capiz
0 Brgy. Udtong in Lambayon in Sultan Kudarat
Brillantes described the incidents as “very, very minimal” and “isolated cases.” But he said the records were “only up to this point in time” and could be critical as it shifts to canvassing of votes.
He said the records were “very much lower” than in 2010 barangay elections. With a report from Frances Mangosing
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