Elections in Region 7 generally peaceful

CEBU, Philippines - The conduct of yesterday’s barangay polls in Central Visayas was considered generally peaceful in spite of four incidents in Danao City, Siquijor and Negros Oriental.

Ironically, the incidents happened outside the 45 areas of concern identified by the police.

“These incidents failed to disrupt the successful and peaceful conduct of elections,” said Police Regional 7 Director Danilo Constantino.

Constantino attributed the orderly conduct of elections to the sufficient number of manpower deployed. Last Sunday, PRO 7 sent 3,837 police personnel to different polling centers. Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), PRO 7’s partner in securing the elections, also fielded 1,199 military personnel.

Constantino said at least two police personnel, assisted by one from the AFP, were assigned to each polling precinct.

Quick Response Teams composed of up to 12 military personnel and two police personnel each guarded large polling centers.

The incident in Danao City involved a supporter of Jesus Durano, the brother of Ramon Durano III, who ran for barangay captain. A certain Thomas Ross had accused the supporter, Edwardito Durano, of carrying a gun around 8 a.m. inside the Poblacion Elementary School.

Batucan alleged that he was about to cast his vote when Edwardito approached him and aimed a gun at him.

PO3 Marlon Remollo said, however, that no one else saw Edwardito with a gun and that it only appeared that Edwardito was trying to pull something out of his bag. Batucan also failed to identify the gun he had accused Edwardito of bringing.

“Mura lang kuno ug dunay gi-aksyon ug bunot sa bag nga dala si Edwardito,” Remollo said.

Edwardito reportedly left the area following the incident.

In Barangay Canghunoghunog in the neighboring island of Siquijor, commotion erupted when an incumbent barangay official allegedly tried to hit a certain Joseph Al-os with his motorcycle. Police, however, intervened and managed to pacify both parties. In Barangay Tigbawan, Lazi, authorities also managed to prevent a disagreement between former governor Orlando Fua and Al Aljas, a candidate for barangay captain, from escalating.

Back in Cebu Province, voting was delayed temporarily in Barangay Amancion in Catmon town following reports of armed men buying votes, but police said the report was eventually proven false.

Reports had it that men in camouflage and bonnets were trying to convince residents in the barangay not to vote by giving them P100. This alarmed the members of Board of Election Tellers (BET), but investigation yielded negative results.

Philippine Navy Commander Anchises Diola said there was no ballot snatching, there were no armed troops, and no harassment happened in the area. “This information is only to disrupt the election and caused fear to the BETs,” Diola said.

Amancion is a hinterland barangay located about five kilometers from the provincial road. It is in the boundary of Carmen and Tuburan towns. The barangay has 173 voters.

Unfortunately, even with the reports having been proven false, PO1 Mary Grace Varquez of the Catmon Police will be subjected to “pre-charged evaluation” for saying there was going to be a failure of election in the town.

Comelec Commissioner Grace Padaca explained that a failure of election will only be declared if no one casts a vote in a polling precinct, if no one was proclaimed, or if there was an election but the process was stopped due to certain reasons. None of which happened anywhere in the region.

“There is no failure of election in the entire Central Visayas,” Padaca said. –/JMO (FREEMAN)