Twenty persons have been killed in 43 election-related violent incidents across the country, the Philippine National Police revealed on the eve of the midterm polls.
Citing reports from the PNP-National Election Monitoring Action Center, Police Col. Bernard Banac, PNP spokesperson, said 24 persons were injured due to poll-related violence from the start of the election period on Jan. 13 to 6 a.m. yesterday.
Most of the poll-related violence were shooting incidents with 29 cases. Others include six cases of threats; two cases of mauling and physical injury; and one case each of slapping, strafing, direct assault, stabbing, harassment, and illegal discharge of firearms.
The figure is lower compared to what was recorded by the PNP in the previous elections, Banac reiterated.
In 2016, the PNP noted 106 pre-election violence while 94 cases were documented in 2013. Forty-two individuals were killed in the 2016 elections while 40 died in the 2013 polls, according to historical data of the PNP.
The PNP continues to monitor a total of 945 election hotspots across the country.
A total of 538 areas were listed under the “Red” category or those “areas of grave concern,” 249 under the “Orange” category or those “areas of immediate concern,” and 154 under the “Yellow” category or those “areas of concern.”
Four areas were also placed under the control of the Commission on Elections due to security concerns. These are Daraga, Albay; Cotabato City; Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental; and Rosario, Agusan del Sur.
The PNP has fielded 149,000 PNP personnel to secure the elections nationwide but Banac stressed that the deployment in areas under the Red category “is more intense.”
“The deployment in these areas is more intense, mas maraming forces for monitoring,” he said.
Banac said 107 persons have been apprehended for violating the election liquor ban which took effect at 12 a.m. yesterday and lifted 12:01 a.m. tomorrow. However, two others escaped and now the subject of follow-up operations.
Forty-two violators were recorded in the Cordillera Administrative Region; 29 in Central Visayas; 18 in Eastern Visayas; 14 in Central Luzon; and six in Metro Manila. (Martin Sadongdong)