Marines, tanks guard Basilan canvassing

Marines backed by tanks were brought in to the provincial capitol of Basilan province to guard the canvassing of votes in hotly contested Sumisip town. Sun-Star online (www.sunstar.com.ph) reported Wednesday that it was the second time the canvassing of votes in Sumisip town was transferred because of poll-related violence. While Marine troops backed by two V-300 tanks were dispatched to secure the provincial Capitol compound in Isabela City, policemen were also deployed in and around the place. The road leading to the Capitol was temporarily closed to traffic while all people entering the compound were required to wear IDs and undergo inspection before being allowed entry. Canvassing for Sumisip was first transferred to Lamitan after gunmen attacked a school where it was originally held, but twin explosions injured three in a Lamitan school Monday. Authorities said the explosion came from an M-79 grenade launcher, and disrupted canvassing for Sumisip town inside the Lamitan Central Elementary School. Injured were supporters of Sumisip mayoralty candidate Haber Asarul and incumbent Basilan Governor Wahab Akbar, including Nasser Asarul, Ben Idris, and Jalil Paris. The three wounded watchers were rushed to a hospital in Lamitan for treatment. Akbar was leading with 24,687 votes over his closest rival in a one-on-one race for the lone congressional district. Akbar garnered 66,264 votes as against Jim Hataman-Saliman’s 41,586 votes. Asarul, one of the wounded watchers of Akbar, said they were eating in a waiting shed when the incident occurred. Monday night’s explosion was the second that took place in a canvassing area in Basilan. Last Wednesday, a Commission on Elections (Comelec) staff was injured when a grenade lobbed at the student center of Basilan State College (BSC) in Isabela City exploded. The incident happened while the municipal board of canvassers was canvassing the votes for Lantawan town at the BSC’s student center. A second grenade landed beneath the table of the board of canvassers but failed to explode. Except for the town of Sumisip, the canvassing of votes in all other cities and towns had been completed. Meanwhile, incumbent Lantawan mayor Tahira Ismael received a fresh mandate, after beating her three male rivals. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) proclaimed her Sunday. Ismael said she will continue her programs in her town. She was reelected for her third and last term in office as the town mayor of Lantawan. She bested three other candidates who are all males with a lead of 3,000 votes over her closest rival. Ismael’s opponents included incumbent Vice Mayor Hamsarula Hajirul, former mayor Tantung Hashim, and businessman Haramain Akbar. Voters’ turnout in the May 14 elections in Lantawan was 75 percent. Lantawan has a total of 35 barangays with 17,771 registered voters. - GMANews.TV