Comelec: PNP records 27 election-related violence during Eleksyon 2022

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has recorded 27 incidents of election-related violence during the 2022 national and local elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Tuesday.

“Per the report of PNP, they have validated 27 election-related violence," Comelec acting spokesman Dir. John Rex Laudiangco told reporters in a press briefing.

"These 27 incidents stretch.., from the start of the election period on January 9 up to the Election Day on May 9,” he added.

Four incidents were monitored in Region 1, six in Region 3, one in Region 7, seven in Region 9, and one in Region 10.

Five election-related violence incidents were recorded in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) while three were in the BARMM.

Laudiangco said there were incidents which have been excluded after further investigation showed they were not related to the elections.

The Comelec earlier declared the recently concluded Eleksyon 2022 as “generally peaceful” despite several incidents of election-related violence including strafing, explosions, and ballot-snatching on May 9, Election Day.

It includes the reported incidents in Lanao del Sur which prompted Comelec to declare “failure of elections” in 14 barangays in the province.

Comelec records 12 vote-buying incidents

Meanwhile, Laudiangco said the poll body has verified a total of 12 vote-buying incidents through its Task Force “Kontra Bigay”.

This comes from over 900 complaints they have received and responded to through the task force’s Facebook page, 67 messages sent to its official e-mail address, and 73 reports lodged at Comelec’s Law Department.

“Of all these, 12 are actually verified complaints and are now docketed and lodged with the Comelec Law Department. The next part is the setting of the preliminary investigation. Tuloy-tuloy po kami dito… magse-set na po kami ng mga submission of answers, replies, rejoinders and yung clarificatory hearings na gagawin mismo sa law department,” the poll official said.

(Of all these, 12 are actually verified complaints and are now docketed and lodged with the Comelec Law Department. The next part is the setting of the preliminary investigation. It will be continuous… we will set the submission of answers, replies, rejoinders, and clarificatory hearings that our law department will set.)

He then reiterated the Comelec’s appeal for the public to file their complaints through a formal affidavit, saying they would need evidence to investigate it.

“Ito yung paulit-ulit naming hinihiling sa ating kababayan kung kayo ay magbibigay ng information. Hiling sana namin kung maaari gawin na agad ito through affidavit complaint para maikasa na agad ‘yung preliminary investigation,” he said.

(It is what we’re repeatedly appealing to the public. If they are going to give us information, better to lodge it through an affidavit complaint for us to launch a preliminary investigation.)

“‘Pag na kasa na ito as an election-verified complaint mapupunta na agad sa preliminary investigation. Kasi kung reports lamang katulad nang nabanggit namin, we have to endorse this to our investigative partners. Iimbestigahan pa po nila, hahanapin pa kung saan na nangyari, hahanapin yung identity samantalang kung complaint na, kumpleto na ang detalye. We could proceed and initiate the preliminary investigation,” he added.

(If it will be filed as an election-verified complaint, it will immediately undergo preliminary investigation. Because if it will be through reports like I mentioned a while ago, we have to endorse this to our investigative partners. They will investigate it, find out where it happened and search for the involved personalities. But if it is a complaint, the details will be complete. We could proceed and initiate the preliminary investigation.)

Headed by Commissioner Aimee Ferolino, Task Force “Kontra Bigay” was established last month to ensure the integrity of Eleksyon 2022. It is composed of the Comelec, PNP, AFP, Department of Justice (DOJ), Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Department of Interior, and Local Government (DILG), and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

On May 7, the Comelec said it is investigating ten accounts of alleged vote-buying and vote-selling incidents under the task force. -NB, GMA News