PNP: Barangay, SK polls ‘relatively peaceful’ amid incidents, 35 deaths

The Philippine National Police on Monday deemed the conduct of 2018 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections "relatively peaceful" amid the deaths of 35 individuals since the start of election period.

In a press briefing, PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao said that they have received reports of "several and isolated violent incidents" in the National Election Monitoring Action Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

As of 3 p.m., the PNP has recorded 47 separate cases of violence since the start of election period on April 14. Seven have been validated to be election-related, while the PNP is still investigating the remaining 40 cases.

Among the 47 incidents, 36 were shootings, two were kidnappings, and two were arson. The rest consisted of one incident each of harassment, illegal detention, ambush, grave threats, grenade-throwing, mauling, and coercion/intimidation.

Thirteen persons were killed in the validated election-related incidents, according to Bulalacao.

Among the 35 persons killed during the election period, 18 were elected government officials, five were candidates, three were former elected government officials, three were supporters, and six were civilians.

Wounded individuals were 31, of whom 14 were supporters, nine were civilians, five were elected government officials, and three were candidates.

Bulalacao said that intensified police operations, checkpoints, guncheck and search warrant operations led to the arrest of 1,350 persons for various offenses, including vote-buying, violation of the 48-hour liquor ban, and possession of firearms, explosives and bladed weapons.

A total of 1,157 firearms with 7,926 rounds of live ammunition, 79 grenades and 350 explosive devices were also confiscated.

As the entire PNP went on full alert nationwide starting at 6 p.m. on Sunday,  181,212 police personnel assumed election duty in 73,562 polling centers.

The PNP said that 1,100 police personnel served as Board of Election Tellers in some voting centers in Sulu (180), Basilan (45), Maguindanao (177), Lanao del Sur (400), Cotabato City (119) and Cotabato province (109). — BM, GMA News