Fire razes voting center-school building early Monday in Lanao del Norte

SALVADOR, Lanao del Norte—A fire razed a one-classroom school building designated as a voting center in the interior village of Mamaanon here around 3 a.m. Monday.

A series of gun fire and a loud explosion preceded the incident, according to authorities.

Rasmila Macarambon Cosain, a member of the Department of Education’s Division  Task Force for the May 9 Elections said the incident was relayed to them around 4:30 a.m. by Mamaanon school principal Amihan Mangontawar.

Cosain said, “the room was supposed to be utilized for the election.”

She said though that no election equipment such as Vote Counting Machine and other paraphernalia had been burned because the ones intended for the voting precinct was still in Barangay Poblacion here.

“The 5th Mechanized Infantry Battalion led by Lieutenant Colonel Galeleo Goyena Jr.  and the Philippine National Police went to the area to respond to the incident” Cosain said.

Senior Superintendent Maidid Paitao, police provincial chief, said investigation was still ongoing.

In Marawi City, a report on the supposed killing of two civilians in the village of Kabingan on Sunday evening was still being verified, the police said.