PNP: 44 suspected election-related violence incidents so far

Forty-four incidents of violence suspected to be related to the upcoming barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) have been monitored so far, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Monday.

PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said that six of the incidents have been validated as being connected with the polls, while 32 have been validated to be unrelated to the elections.

Six incidents are still undergoing the validation process.

The six incidents validated to be connected with the polls are four shooting incidents, one abduction, and one alarm and scandal incident. Four of these have been referred to the prosecutor's office.

The 32 incidents not related to the elections include 15 shooting incidents, three stabbing incidents, three robberies, two physical injury cases, two alarm and scandal incidents, two child abuse incidents, one grave threat, one unjust vexation, one mauling incident, one gun ban violation, and one hacking incident.

Of these incidents, two have been filed in a court and one has been solved.

The six suspected incidents still undergoing probe involve three shooting incidents, one kidnapping, one direct assault, as well as one slander and alarm and scandal incident.

As of Sunday, Fajardo said, 926 individuals have been arrested for election gun ban violation and 572 firearms have been confiscated.

The BSKE 2023 will be held on October 30. — BM, GMA Integrated News