Voting in Maguindanao town disrupted by gunfire

COTABATO CITY – Voting in a public school was briefly stopped when voters scampered for safety after unidentified men fired their guns near Barangay Inug-og in Pagalungan, Maguindanao.

Senior Inspector Blayn Lumase, Pagalungan town police chief, said gun fire was heard about 12:30 p.m. near Inug-og Elementary School, briefly stopping the election process for about 30 minutes.

Udjak Ande, village chair, said the armed men were supporters of a local candidate.

“Voters scampered for safety, some were seen running away from the school,” Ande told reporters. He led his villagers to safer ground until the local police arrived.

The armed men were about 50 meters from the school, he said. Nobody was hurt, police said.

Lumase said voting resumed at about 1 p.m. with police and military personnel securing the voting center.

Earlier, a rifle grenade was fired near the Mamasabulod Elementary School in nearby Barangay Damalasak, also in Pagalungan town while a mayoral candidate was voting at past 7:30 a.m., Monday.  SFM