Poll-related violence mars first RP automated elections

(Updated 4:25 p.m.)As more than 50 million registered voters trooped to the polling precincts in the Philippines' first automated elections Monday, law enforcers reported several incidents of poll violence, most of them in Mindanao. According to police records, the latest tally of election-related violent incidents stands at 82, with 27 people killed and 40 others wounded. “Based sa statistics natin, compared to the last two elections, lesser ang ating monitored election-related incidents in terms of number of incident itself saka yung number of casualties," Senior Supt. Danilo Constantino, assistant chief of the Philippine National Police operations center, said in a press conference at Camp Crame in Querzon City. He, however, admitted that poll violence was happening as he spoke. “We are still verifying those other incidents." The first election-related incident Monday was reported in Kidapawan City, where a supporter of an incumbent lawmaker died and his companion was wounded in a strafing incident. [See: Kidapawan City reports first election day violence] In Maguindanao, a hot spot placed by the Commission on Elections under its jurisdiction with the presence of private militias, GMA News reported there were several explosions before noon Monday. At least two people died in a separate shooting incident. Of the 11 confirmed incidents, seven were reported in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao including the ambush of members of the 39th Marine Company in Barangay Kaumair, Sumisip, Basilan, where a soldier was wounded. There was also a gunfight between supporters of vice mayoral candidate Mohammad Ali Santiago Guro and incumbent vice mayor Farida Lidasan Amaptuan in Matanog, Maguindanao. Indiscriminate firing was reported in Barangay Punong Picong, Lanao del Sur between the brothers and rivals in the mayoral race Alinader Balindong and Abdulah Balindong, as well as sporadic firing in Calanugas, Lanao del Sur, and and several explosion incidents in Datu Unsay and Marawi. Constantino said the police were still verifying five more election-related incidents in the ARMM. The police are investigating the incidents in the province where 57 people, including 32 journalists were massacred in election-related violence on Nov. 23, 2009. In Marawi City, Lanao del Sur, three grenades exploded near the Pampang Elementary School. No one was reported hurt in the incident. GMA News' Raffy Tima reported that the first blast occurred at 8 a.m. some 50 meters from the school. The second grenade was thrown on the roof of a house, also near the school. Authorities are still tracing where the third blast occurred, and security alert was raised in the area as the police tracked down the suspects, according to GMA News. A text message sent by Lt. Gen. Ben Dolorfino, Western Mindanao Command chief, to GMANews.TV said an improvised bomb exploded 15 meters from the Mindanao State University gymnasium in Marawi City. No one was injured and no bomb fragment was found, he said. In Carascal town, Surigao del Sur, two masked men shot dead a supporter of independent mayoral candidate Jery Antigo. Radio dzXL reported that Jonito Cabanonga, 44, died while being rushed to a hospital. The police said he was riding a motorcycle when he was shot. Police recovered four .45 spent shells at the crime scene. At about 2 a.m. on Monday, three supporters of a mayoralty candidate of RT Lim town in Zamboanga Sibugay died in an encounter with policemen who were manning a checkpoint. Police chief Senior Superintendent Federico Castro said the mayoralty bet’s supporters opened fire first. In Luzon, four people were killed in separate incidents overnight in Isabela and Palawan. Isabela provincial police director Senior Supt. Jimmy Rivera said three supporters of Palanan town Mayor and reelectionist Angelo Bernardo were killed when armed men staged an ambush about 10 p.m. on Sunday. “The perpetrators are allegedly supporters of a rival candidate, a certain former Judge Salazar, who is also a former mayor of Palanan," said Rivera. In Brooke’s Point, Palawan, a supporter of a mayoral candidate was gunned down in an encounter with alleged supporters of a rival candidate, some four hours before the elections officially started at 7 a.m. In a phone interview with GMANews.TV, Brooke’s Point police Chief Inspector Silverio Basa said a certain Alibasa Mucsan was shot dead in Bgy. Salogon while one Roger Moga was wounded. [See: Mayoral bet’s supporter shot dead in Palawan] The Philippine National Police has organized a large contingency force to quell violence and disorder in the event that the situation gets out of hand in some localities. The 1,200-strong PNP Contingency Force is composed of four battalions under the Civil Disturbance Management, with tactical and rapid deployment capabilities that can respond to situations requiring swift police intervention and special tactics. Constantino believed the firearms summit last year, addressing the proliferation of loose firearms, the creation of special task groups to stop private armies, and the peace covenants among rival political parties helped contain election-related incidents. “It somehow diffused the tension in areas considered as hotspots."— with field reports, Amita O. Legaspi, Sophia Dedace/VS, GMANews.TV