Albayalde: Violent incidents, vote-buying recorded by PNP on bgy election day

Eight suspected violent incidents and another eight incidents of vote-buying in various parts of the country were recorded by the police during the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan election day on Monday, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Dir. Gen. Oscar D. Albayalde said Tuesday.

Albayalde said the violent incidents, seven of which were considered minor, separately took place in the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, and South Cotabato, where one person was killed.

The incidents brought the number of suspected election-related shooting incidents to 38 since the start of the election period on April 14, the police chief said.

Meanwhile, vote-buying incidents were recorded in the cities of Taguig, Batangas, and Lucena; as well as in the provinces of Cavite, Tarlac, Bohol, Aklan, and Negros Occidental.

Despite the incidents, the PNP considers the recently-concluded elections as generally peaceful as incidents remained concentrated to certain areas considered as hotspots.

“Generally, kung titingnan natin yung (if we look at the) election as a whole, it is generally peaceful compared to the 2013 elections,” he said.

Albayalde said the PNP will continue performing its election duties as deputies of the Commission on Elections up until the end of the election period on May 21. /muf