Low election-related violent incidents

he Philippine National Police (PNP) reported low incidents of election-related violence as voting for village and youth council representatives officially began Monday, with the national police chief attributing the low number to increase police and community vigilance.

In a press conference, PNP Director General Raul Bacalzo said there were 40 incidents of election-related violence (ERV) noted in this year’s grassroots elections, with 41 recorded deaths. This was “very low” compared to the 67 incidents of ERV noted in similar elections in 2007 when 69 people died.

“We can attribute this to increased vigilance and community participation. The public listened to our announcement that during election period, carrying of firearms is prohibited. We can also attribute the low incidents to our Comelec checkpoints manned by security forces,” Bacalzo said.

Regions 12 (Soccsksargen) and ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) noted the most number of ERVIs, with eight incidents in Region 12 and four incidents in ARMM.

Correspondingly, police confiscated 523 firearms and arrested 623 persons in relation to the Comelec gun ban. A total of 223 people were also arrested overnight in violation of the liquor ban, Bacalzo said.

While the PNP is expecting generally peaceful local elections, Bacalzo said police are still bracing for possible violence that will spark on election day itself.

“Based on our experience, violent incidents always occur on election day itself. But with the help of our community and with police and military forces, we hope that the incidents will not be as violent as they are,” Bacalzo said.

Meanwhile, the PNP also fielded 1,023 police trainees to the provinces of Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao to serve as board of election tellers. The trainees will serve in nine towns in Lanao del Sur and 20 towns in Maguindanao.

But Bacalzo clarified that this was not due to violence but mainly to the lack of teachers in these villages.

“Based on the reports of Comelec, a lot of teachers in those areas could not serve as board of election tellers because these teachers have relatives that are either running for village chief or village councilor. This is not allowed,” he added.

The elections on Monday are expected to fill 672,400 elective posts in 42,025 barangays across the country.

Sixteen positions are to be filled in each barangay (village)—eight in the barangay council (one barangay chair and seven council members) and eight in the youth (one chair and seven council members).

More than 50 million Filipinos (18 and above) are eligible to vote in the village elections and 2.46 million (15 to 17 years old) in the Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) balloting.

Barangays are authorized by law to disburse some P53 billion for local economic development projects and services under the 1991 Local Government Code. Their leaders act as judges in domestic disputes, supervise delivery of basic services and secure neighborhoods.

Unlike in last May’s automated national elections, voting and counting of ballots in Monday’s polls will be done manually.