10 people killed in poll-related incidents

MANILA, Philippines - At least ten people were reported killed, several others were wounded and eight incidents of explosions nationwide were recorded in the first ever-automated national and local elections yesterday.

Gunmen also ambushed Marine troopers securing official ballots, wounding a soldier, in a remote village of Sumisip town in Isabela City, Basilan.

Senior Superintendent Danilo Constantino, deputy chief of the Philippine National Police-National Operation Center (PNP-NOC), said there was an upsurge of election-related violence on the day of the elections. But while the conduct of the first-ever automated elections were marred by violent incidents, authorities said it was generally orderly and peaceful.

The hottest incident happened in Bacoor, Cavite, where two security details and a chief of staff of former 2nd District Rep. Plaridel Abaya were killed after they stormed the Bacoor Police station in Bgy. Talaba.

Abaya is running for reelection under the Liberal Party (LP) and is pitted against actress Lani Mercado.

Cavite police provincial director Senior Supt. Primitivo Tabujara said initial information revealed that Abaya, who was accompanied by his supporters and security escorts, went to the police station to follow up the case of his other supporters who were arrested earlier allegedly for vote buying.

Tabujara said as soon as Abaya’s group entered the station, some of them disarmed the police officers and started firing on PO2 Manuel Gacosta, who tried to respond.

Gacosta was pronounced in stable condition, while the congressional candidate’s security detail, a certain Sergeant Paraiso, and his chief of staff, retired Col. Arnulfo Obillo, died in the shootout.

Abaya was placed under custodial investigation while the LP leadership condemned the killing of his men.

In Zamboanga Sibugay, three unidentified armed men who were flagged down by lawmen at a checkpoint were killed after they opted to shoot it out along the national highway in Poblacion RT Lim.

Senior Supt. Federico Castro Jr., Zamboanga Sibugay police provincial director, said the encounter occurred when the gunmen on board motorcycles fired upon the police manning the checkpoint 2:15 in the morning.

The police launched a pursuit operation against the attackers, who escaped towards the headquarters of Lakas-Kampi-CMD mayoralty bet Rogelio Gomez.

Castro said the investigation tends to show that the attackers were followers of Gomez and corresponding charges will be filed against them, and possibly including the mayoralty candidate.

Eight civilians were also wounded in the daring attack.

Two people were also killed and another bystander was wounded in a shooting incident in Sta. Margarita, Western Samar.

David Casaljay and Rodrigo de la Peña, both residents of Barangay Inoraguiao, Sta. Margarita, died on the spot, while 76-year-old Ma. Otelia Saludar was rushed to a hospital in Calbayog after being hit by a stray bullet.

A survivor identified the assailant as Nilo Descallar, a known supporter of former congressman and Western Samar’s 1st District congressional candidate Rodolfo Tuazon.

In Zambales, a poll watcher of LP mayoralty bet Arsenia Lim was gunned down by another poll watcher of Masinloc mayor and reelectionist Jessue Edora of Lakas-Kampi-CMD.

The lone fatality was identified as Ernesto Tapado Jr.

In Batangas, a supporter of Ibaan Mayor Reming Hernandez was killed while his brother was wounded when they were shot inside their house in Sitio Pakalat, Munting Tubig.

Ronnie Madera, 22, died from multiple gunshot wounds while his brother, 18-year old Reygan Madera, was rushed to the Batangas Regional Hospital due to sustained wounds in his buttocks and right ankle.

There were also sketchy reports that a barangay captain in Kalibo, Aklan was shot dead and a vice mayor in Tandag, Surigao del Sur was also fatally wounded.

Suspected partisan elements gunned down a campaign manager of re-electionist North Cotabato Rep. Bernardo Piñol Jr. and wounded another in a daring attack at a busy thoroughfare in Kidapawan City.

Police identified the victim as Johnny Magbanua, while his companion, Leo Laguindanum, sustained gunshot wounds in different parts of the body.

Explosions in ARMM, La Union

But killings were not the only order of the day.

Constantino said the number of explosion incidents might still increase as police from the field continue to update the PNP national headquarters of incidents in their respective areas.

He said four persons were reported hurt in all the incidents, indicating that many explosions were meant to instill fear among voters to prevent them from casting their votes.

“Of the eight explosion incidents, seven occurred in ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) and one in La Union,” said Constantino during the briefing at the Media Center of the PNP headquarters in Quezon City.

In La Union, provincial director Senior Superintendent Noli Taliño said four voters were wounded after an improvised device exploded inside San Nicolas Academy, Balaoan town at around 6:45 a.m., a few minutes before the start of the election. The school was used as polling precinct.

Taliño said people were waiting for the opening of the polls when an IED with a cell phone as triggering device exploded in one of the rooms.

During a teleconference, Taliño told Constantino that despite the explosion, the elections resumed after the injured victims were taken to the hospital.

He added that there was no suspect yet but a special investigation task group has been created to identity the people behind the explosion.

Constantino said that there were seven explosions in ARMM, including one that occurred in Basilan, two in Lanao del Sur and three in Marawi City.

He said the explosion in Marawi took place at a polling precinct in Amai Pakpak Elementary School at around 9:30 a.m. where three M203 grenade launcher projectiles exploded.

Almost at the same time, another explosion occurred near a polling precinct in Sadok Elementary School, also in Marawi City.

The third explosion was recorded after a grenade exploded near the same school, where a pick up vehicle was damaged.

Chief Superintendent Bievenido Latag, police regional director of the ARMM, said there was no election in the region due to absence of Board of Election Inspectors and Comelec officials.

Latag identified the towns as Lumba Bayabao, Masiu, Sultan Dumalondong, Lumabaca Unayan, Tubaran, Marogoy and Bayang.

PNP: Most peaceful polls ever

Despite all these, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the PNP described the 2010 automated polls as the “most peaceful” elections compared to previous poll exercises.

PNP spokesman Chief Supt. Leonardo Espina said that as of 1 p.m. yesterday only 82 election-related violent incidents were recorded in the 200-day period since late 2009 compared to the 166 ERVIs during the same period in the 2004 elections or lower by 102.43 percent.

Compared to the 2007 elections, election-related violent incidents this year are down by 120 percent, he said.

“Today we made history. The May 10, 2010 national and local elections will go down in our nation’s history as probably the most peaceful and orderly political exercise ever held in our land,” PNP chief Director Gen. Jesus Versoza said.

“Security-wise this is the most peaceful election that we have. We hope that this will stand until the candidates are proclaimed,” Col. Ricardo Nepomuceno, Task Force HOPE (Honesty, Orderly, Peaceful Elections) spokesman, said.

In terms of casualties, there were 68 casualties recorded during the same period as of yesterday, compared to 310 and 232 in the 2004 and 2007 elections, respectively.

Espina said the clash among local political rivals in several areas in the country, which initially appeared to be election-related violent incidents, did not affect the conduct of the May 10 elections. – With Alexis Romero, Jaime Laude, Miriam Desecada, Ed Amoroso, Arnell Ozaeta Roel Pareño, Paolo Romero, Ric Sapnu, Ben Serrano, Jun Elias, Ronilo Pamonag, Antonieta Lopez, John Unson