PNP, AFP laud peaceful conduct of midterm polls

Police and military officials on Monday lauded the peaceful conduct of the national and local midterm elections with only isolated and minor incidents during the 12-hour voting period.

Philippine National Police chief General Oscar Albayalde said there were no major untoward incidents based on the reports of PNP regional offices.

"As voting hours officially closed at 6:00 p.m., the 2019 national and local elections turned out to be generally peaceful nationwide with no reported major untoward incident that affected the overall turnout of the electoral exercise," Albayalde said in his election assessment.

Albayalde said there were only some instances in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao where the conduct of elections was briefly interrupted.

Albayalde, nonetheless, said "voting went ahead smoothly and orderly in 36,831 voting centers nationwide."

For his part, Armed Forces of the Philippines public affairs chief Colonel Noel Detoyato said the military reported "very minimal breach of peace of order."

"The AFP congratulates the Filipino people for the successful conduct of the National and Local Elections 2019 and their peaceful exercise of their right to choose our leaders who will continue to plot the future of our country," Detoyato said in a statement.

Detoyato reiterated that the peaceful elections resulted from the months-long preparation of the AFP, PNP, and the Commission on Elections.

"The months of preparations through coordination and conferences by the PNP, AFP and the Comelec have been effective in ensuring that the Filipino people can exercise their right to vote free from intimidation, threats, and harassment," Detoyato said.

Both top officials said their personnel will remain in their posts to secure electoral board and Comelec personnel, including the safe transport of election paraphernalia to the canvassing centers.

Albayalde noted the permits to carry firearms outside of residence of registered firearm holders remain suspended until June 12, 2019.

He further clarified only 420 PNP personnel served as members of the electoral board in BARMM, Regions 10 and 9, and the Cordillera Region, not the 1,501 he earlier stated.

Enforcement of elections laws

Meanwhile, Albayalde said the final tally of persons apprehended for violation of Comelec-imposed gun ban stands at 5,500. He said 4,618 firearms and 44,226 other deadly weapons were seized from them.

Furthermore, 332 incidents of vote-buying led to the arrest of 297 persons and the rescue of three minors.

Albayalde said only 23 incidents were deemed "significant" by the PNP. These include cases of shooting, indiscriminate firing, illegal discharge of firearms, explosion, grave threats, and harassment.

Albayalde also reminded the public that the liquor ban will remain effective until midnight, following the arrest of 986 violators. — BM, GMA News