Despite shooting incidents: Peaceful polls

CEBU, Philippines —  The conduct of the May 9, 2022 national and local elections was generally peaceful, according to the security monitoring of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 as of 6 p.m yesterday.

Police Colonel Noel Flores, Deputy Regional Director for Operations of PRO-7, said this despite receiving incident reports around the region, particularly, some shooting incidents.

As per the police, the noted incidents include: shooting incident and abandonment of two vehicles in San Fernando town, the shooting of a barangay councilor in Lapu-Lapu City, alleged shootout between two political parties in Basay,

Negros Oriental, the evading from arrest of a former Panglao mayor in Bohol, and the shooting of a barangay tanod on-duty at Zapatera polling center in Cebu City.

Police said that both shooting incidents in San Fernando and Lapu-Lapu City were not election-related incidents.

In a press conference yesterday, the police said the situation in the region was “manageable” since they deployed their hundred percent resources on the ground to secure the elections.

Flores said they have noted reports of several alleged vote-buying incidents. In Cebu City, police said they responded to at least eleven incidents of alleged vote-buying.

Further, in Panglao, Bohol, the police received a report of a former mayor who evaded arrest after he was reported for alarm and scandal around 9:30 a.m. on election day.

Panglao police said that they are now preparing formal charges against former Panglao mayor Torinio Bon for Direct Assault, Resistance, and Disobedience to the Agent of Person in Authority for causing a commotion at Tangnan, Panglao, Bohol.

"The suspect grabbed the issued firearm of the responding police officers and resisted arrest," said Flores.

The authorities are also set to file a separate complaint against councilor Noel Hormachuelos and Atty. Francis Erick Delambaca for Obstruction of Justice, after they allegedly helped Bon evade arrest.

Meanwhile, in Basay, Negros Oriental, a shooting incident happened involving the town mayor.

"Based on the information which is subject for validation, may shooting incident na nangyari and this involved yung mayor and yung opposing party," said Flores.

He added that validation was ongoing since the area where the incident happened did not have a strong network signal.

Police also received a report of a shooting incident in Barangay Zapatera wherein the victim was accordingly a barangay tanod on duty for the 2022 elections.

The victim was identified as certain Brian Mabaga.

The incident happened at around 6:42 p.m. in front of the Zapatera Elementary School which also served as a polling center.

Witnesses in the area claimed that the suspect was shot by riding gunmen. The triggermen, however, was accompanied by another man onboard a motorcycle.

Police Lt. Colonel Ryan Devaras, Deputy City Director for Administration of CCPO, said that the victim was rushed to the hospital conscious.

According to him, they are now checking the background of the victim to determine the possible suspect behind the shooting.

As of yesterday, the security measures in Zapatera have been elevated with additional eight police personnel to secure the place.

Meanwhile, in  Cebu Province, Police Colonel Engelbert Soriano said they received reports of alleged harassment among supporters in San Fernando and Santander.

The supporters allegedly exchanged heated words which the police later on pacified. They also arrested one suspect in a vote-buying incident in Pinamungajan.

Soriano said that these are considered minor incidents.

Cebu City

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Cebu City also declared that the May 9, 2022 elections in the city was a success.

This was according to lawyer Edwin Cadungog, acting election officer of the North District and the chairman of the Cebu City Board of Canvassers.

“Yes, successful. Okay ra ang election. Malinawon,” Cadungog told reporters yesterday evening.

“So far, malampuson man bisan dunay kabagal pero ang tanan kung dunay pasensya, mahuman ra gyud ta,” he added.

At around 7:30 p.m. Monday, Cadungog said the board reconvened as it was expected that during such time, there are already polling places that finished transmission of their results. They already convened at 1:00 p.m as mandated by the law.

“Mao ni ang atong gipahigayon karon, nagpadayon ang atoang canvassing pero unlike before karon ang atong makita karon, mura nalang og magtan-aw ta og salida nga moabot nalang ang resulta sa atoang CCS (consolidation and canvassing system),” said Cadungog.

At around 8:30 p.m., three barangays completed its transmission in their respective polling places. These are barangays Sta. Cruz, Sto. Niño, and San Antonio.

However, a technical problem was experienced at the canvassing area, which is the City Hall’s Social Hall.

“Naa pa gyu’y problema ning atong screen karon kay gamay kaayo ang font. Ang atong font gud, sa atoang program mao na'y gamay unya dili na siya pdf so maong dili nato mapa-expand… Di naman gyud nato mausab ang gidak-on sa font kay program naman na,”explained Cadungog.

As of this writing, the screen is already visible and transmission from other barangays is still ongoing.

As to the inconvenience experienced during the voting from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Cadungog said there were only “minor glitches” and were addressed properly by the technical staff.

“Duna lay mga minor glitches like dunay bog down usahay sa atoang mga makina,” he said.

Per Comelec data, 12 Vote Counting Machines (VCM) in the south had experienced discrepancy, while 7 in the north.

“All in all wa gyud kaabot og 20 or kung naa pay nagpadayon pa karon, basin naa pay more or less 20 gyud… Na-address na ni tanan na mga naay diperensya sa mga makina,” said Cadungog.

As of this writing, the canvassing is still ongoing and Comelec Cebu City is yet to officially announce the voter’s turnout. — Mary Ruth R. Malinao, JMD (FREEMAN)