Barangay chairman punches poll volunteer in Maguindanao - PPCRV head

MANILA, Philippines - A barangay chairman who refused to immediately leave the polling precinct after casting his vote allegedly punched an election volunteer, the chairperson of the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) said Monday.

"Sinuntok ('yung volunteer) kasi pinapagsabihan lang siya na pagkapatapos niyang bumoto, to please go... Nagalit siya, sinuntok." PPCRV chair Henrietta de Villa said in a phone-patch interview on ANC's Headstart.

She said they will be making an official report to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on the incident.

Comelec Commissioner Luie de Guia warned that voters and barangay officials should only go inside the polling precincts when they cast their ballots.

"They could not stay inside the classroom longer than the time that it would take them to vote," Guia also said on ANC's Headstart.

Meanwhile, de Villa lamented that for this year's barangay elections, they have received many complaints that barangay officials are "really pulling all kinds of tricks" to win the polls.

For instance, the poll watchdog head said barangay officials and candidates go inside polling precincts at will, which should not be the case.

"They can only go in if they vote. But other than that, they have no right at all to stay inside," de Villa said.

The PPCRV also said that the barangay elections is now similar to the national polls: partisan, money-driven and marred by violence.

Read: PPCRV chair: 2013 Barangay polls more heated, politicized, expensive

But she lauded the Comelec for being "more serious" in going after those who violate election laws. - Lous Bacani