R-12 polls ‘peaceful’

GENERAL SANTOS CITY --- Except for some minor incidents, police authorities in Region-12 said the conduct of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Elections last may 14 in Region-12, or Soccsksargen, turned out “orderly and generally peaceful.”

Superintendent  Aldrin Gonzales, public information officer of Police Regional Office (PRO)-12, said last May 15 that they have not recorded any major election-related incident that affected the region’s security situation.

Gonzales said voting and canvassing in most election precincts within the region’s four provinces and five cities proceeded as scheduled with expectation of full completion of the process without any disruption.

“There were minor problems reported in some polling centers but these did not hamper the over-all conduct of the elections,” he told the Philippine News Agency.

In South Cotabato, a still unidentified man was gunned down at around 2 p.m. last May 15 in Sitio San Juan, Barangay Rizal in Banga town but investigators said the incident was not considered as election-related.

Power interruptions occurred in Barangay Lun Padidu, Malapatan town in Sarangani province and parts of South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat at the height of the canvassing of votes. Power was eventually restored hours later.

Police said two explosions were reported near polling centers in Barangay Dungos, Tulunan town in North Cotabato on Monday (May 14) morning but no casualties and damages were recorded.

Gonzales attributed the smooth conduct of the polls to the preparations conducted by the Commission on Elections and the successful implementation of the region’s comprehensive security plan.

He specifically cited the strategic deployment of security personnel in parts of Region-12, especially in the 255 villages that were identified as areas of concern or hotspots.

The PRO-12 had assigned some 109 police personnel to serve as members of the election board in some villages in North Cotabato.

To prevent possible security-related problems due to intense political rivalries, the canvassing of votes in some remote areas in South Cotabato were transferred on Monday (May 14) night to more secure village and town centers. 

Gonzales said the entire region will remain under heightened alert even as the election period ends on May 21 due to the prevailing martial law in Mindanao. (PNA - Cotabato MINDANAO EXPOSE’)