Gunmen torch school building in Maguindanao

MAGUINDANAO - Gunmen on Sunday burned down a public school building in Buldon town, which was supposed to be turned into a voting center for the barangay elections today.

Senior Superintendent Rodelio Jocson, director of the Maguindanao provincial police, said the suspects used gasoline and dried coconut palms in burning the four-classroom building of the Denganen Elementary School in southwest of Buldon.

Jocson said that according to local officials, the building was razed to the ground and could no longer be used for the barangay elections.

Col. Dickson Hermoso, spokesman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said municipal poll personnel decided to hold the elections in makeshift polling sites in Barangay Denganen.

Hermoso said more soldiers were deployed in strategic areas in Buldon to ensure the safety of voters and to prevent armed men from disrupting the conduct of the elections.