Poll violence leaves 14 dead

MANILA, Philippines - At least 14 people were killed in election-related attacks, three grenade blasts rocked Maguindanao while two schools used as polling centers were partly burned in Lanao del Sur as the nation voted yesterday.

Despite the deadly violence, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) said the elections were “peaceful and orderly.”

“What is important is that our citizens are able to get to the polling places,” said Armed Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla.

In Central and Western Mindanao, the AFP recorded six election-related killings with seven persons wounded, two incidents of polling centers set on fire and another two of ballot snatching.

Padilla said that the recorded election-related incidents, when taken in the context of more than 92,000 polling precincts in the country, would account for less than one percent.

The worst incident was recorded in Rosario town in Cavite where seven supporters of incumbent Mayor Jose Ricafrente were killed in an ambush shortly after midnight yesterday.

Cavite provincial police chief Sr. Supt. Eliseo de la Cruz identified the fatalities as Arniel Sharief, Farham Datu Imam, Ramon Tuazon, Naim Hadjiomar, Omair Imam, Ibrahim Imam and Pabil Mangandia Sultan.

The eighth victim – Fatar Mampon – survived the attack and is being treated at the Philippine General Hospital.

Ricafrente said the victims were his volunteers and were on their way to check on a reported vote-buying incident when they were ambushed in Barangay Wawa 3.

No suspect was immediately identified in the initial investigation, although police are working on the lead that the men received a text message telling them to go to the barangay.

In San Jorge town in Samar, supporters of an opposing political camp reportedly ambushed mayoralty candidate Lester Bisnar and an aide at around 4:15 a.m. yesterday.

Regional police director Jose Erwin Villacorte said Bisnar, an incumbent town councilor, was on his way home with aide Noel Jabolin when several men that include Stephen Grey, son of Vice Mayor Joseph Grey who is running against Bisnar, shot them.

Although Bisnar and Jabolin were hit on the legs, they were able to drive away from the ambush site.

Responding members of the Special Weapons and Tactics arrested the younger Grey, who also had a gunshot wound in the arm, and companions Norman Bernales and Emmanuel Pacampara. It is not clear how Grey got wounded.

Major Filemon Tan Jr., spokesman for the Western Mindanao Command, said the attacks occurred separately in Pagadian and Marawi cities, and in Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao provinces.

Based on the military monitoring center report, Tan said two civilians were killed in a gun attack in Lisson Valley, Pagadian City; one was killed while officially transporting some voting paraphernalia in Barangay Cambingan, Marawi City; and one each from shooting incidents in Marantao town, Lanao del Sur and in Datu Unsay and Guindulungan towns in Maguindanao.

Tan also reported that the voting rooms at Dilausan Primary School in Tamparan town and at Ragayan Elementary School in Poona Bayabao town, both in Lanao del Sur province, were partially burned, prompting officials to transfer the polling areas to other schools.

Sr. Insp. Ronald de Leon, spokesman for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, reported at least three grenade blasts in Sultan Mastura and Mamasapano towns, both in Maguindanao province.

At least six civilians were brought to the hospital for treatment.

In Lagayan town in Abra, the Cordillera police reported the killing of a barangay tanod and wounding of two others after a shootout early yesterday morning.

Police Officer 1 Marlon Gonzaga Jr. was also shot in the leg after trying to pacify a commotion between the supporters of opposition mayoral candidate Den Maxino and incumbent Mayor Joselito Ojeda in Mulanay town, Quezon province.

A supporter of incumbent Calinog, Iloilo Mayor Alex Centena was shot in the thigh after a shootout with supporters of rival mayoral candidate Salvador Divinagracia.

Election watchdog Legal Network for Truthful Elections (Lente) said yesterday this year’s national and local polls appeared to be more violent than recent elections.

Rona Ann Caritos, Lente executive director, said they have seen a hike in reports of election-related human rights violations in days leading up to the elections.

As of 1:30 p.m. yesterday, more than 230 cases of election-related offenses have been reported to the monitoring center of Bantay Karapatan sa Halalan (BKH) at the main office of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).

Among the incidents reported are cases of shooting or ambush, like the one in Cavite before dawn yesterday that killed seven people, Caritos said.

Other incidents include attacks on polling precincts, threats and intimidation of voters, vote buying and distribution of sample ballots.

Caritos said incidents of voter disenfranchisement were also reported due to problems with the vote-counting machines.

“This is a more violent election,” she said. “The numbers are really different.”

Central Luzon police director Chief Supt. Rudy Lacadin said the election process was generally peaceful in the region with only 22 election-related incidents and no report of casualty as of 5 p.m. yesterday.

Human rights chairman Chito Gascon said they are still in the process of verifying the reports that their volunteers have monitored.

“These are raw reports, what we are doing is we are verifying and validating,” Gascon explained.

BKH is an initiative of the CHR and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in partnership with human rights groups and election monitors to look into cases of election-related human rights violations.

Flying voters, goons

The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) yesterday said truckloads of flying voters, accompanied by armed men, entered the polling places in at least three barangays in Sultan Kudarat province and forcibly shaded official ballots in front of election officers and watchers.

Ana de Villa Singson, PPCRV communications director, said they had to pull out their volunteers from President Quirino town in Sultan Kudarat because of massive cheating.

“The Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) cannot do anything. Even our poll watchers cannot do anything,” Singson said. “One of our poll watchers was able to take photographs but they chased our volunteer so the poll watchers pulled out for security (reasons). But they are saying that in Sultan Kudarat there were flying voters, massive cheating.”

Basilan Bishop Martin Jumoad also went out of his way to confirm reports of cheating in Matarling town, Isabela.

Jumoad reported seeing some parishioners, especially the senior citizens, crying and three men shading official ballots outside the polling precinct.

“Bishop Jumoad witnessed it,” PPCRV national chairperson Henrietta de Villa said.

In Lanao del Sur, a failure of elections was declared in Binidayan town after three of six voting centers were transferred without clearance from the Comelec and the harassment and intimidation of election officers.

“Troops of this unit under 1Lt. Gemino are still providing security to secure all the vote counting machines and election paraphernalia from any damage caused by supporters of the running political candidates of Binidayan. As of this report, all (VCMs) and other election paraphernalia are still in the municipal hub in Barangay Maindig,” Lt. Col. Benedicto Manquiquis, 1st Army Infantry Division spokesman, said.

In Sulu, a failure of elections was declared in two barangays following Sunday’s five-hour fighting between supporters of two opposing local candidates.

It was also recorded that the BEIs backed out from performing their poll duties despite assurances of their safety. – With Janvic Mateo, Evelyn Macairan, Jose Rodel Clapano, John Unson, Ric Sapnu, Ricky Bautista, Ed Amoroso, Arnell Ozaeta, Roel Pareno, Jennifer Rendon, Art Dumlao, Michelle Zoleta