THE PNP yesterday reported 77 validated election-related incidents (ERIs) and 19 deaths during the recently-concluded October 30 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (BSKE) elections.
The number of ERIs so far validated is almost double the number of ERIs reported during the last barangay and youth polls held in 2018 when there were only 40 reported violent incidents related to the election during the entire poll period.
This year’s 90-day election period will be until November 29.
Data provided by PNP Public Information Office chief and spokeswoman Col. Jean Fajardo showed there were 297 suspected ERIs reported to the PNP as of yesterday.
Of the number, 77 were validated to be ERIs while 176 were determined to be not related to the polls. The rest of the 44 are still classified as suspected ERIs as they are still undergoing validation process.
Fajardo said 19 persons died and 66 were injured in the validated ERIs.
She said 39 of the validated ERIs occurred in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), 13 in Northern Mindanao, five each in Eastern Visayas and Cordillera Administrative Region, four in Bicol, three in the Ilocos region, two in Central Visayas, and one each in the National Capital Region, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Central Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Soccsksargen.
In the implementation of the election gun ban, the PNP said 2,175 violators were arrested and 1,659 assorted firearms were already seized.
The PNP said 2,407 firearms were deposited to the PNP for safekeeping and 1,765 other firearms were surrendered to the police.
Fajardo, in a press briefing at Camp Crame, said four newly-elected barangay officials were killed and two others were injured during attacks in the past several days.
One of the fatalities was from Metro Manila, referring to Marcelina Camacho, a barangay councilor from Pasay City who was shot dead last Monday.
Two councilors were killed in Soccsksargen and a barangay chairman was also killed in the Davao region.
The two injured were a barangay chairman from Calabarzon and a barangay councilor from Northern Mindanao.
Fajardo said the PNP is continuing with its monitoring of post-election activities and scenarios.
“These are the things that we were expecting after the election, that there will be incidents such as these,” said Fajardo, referring to the attacks on winning candidates.
Metro Manila police chief Brig. General Jose Melecio Nartatez said manhunt operations by the Pasay police targeting the possible hideouts of the suspected gunman in the killing of 58-year-old Camacho has so far been fruitless.
Nartatez said the operation against the suspected gunman was aided by information provided by his accomplice, Vladimir Del Valle Catubay, who was apprehended after shooting incident.
Camacho was attacked by two motorcycle-riding gunmen inside the barangay hall in San Juan Street in Pasay City at around 5:35 Monday afternoon.
Catubay was the driver of the motorcycle used as a get-away vehicle of the gunman.
Operatives of the Pasay city police drug enforcement unit who were patrolling near the area where Camacho was attacked arrested Catubay after his motorcycle bumped a person waiting for a ride, causing the two suspects to fall to the ground.
The gunman managed to escape on foot.
“During the course of the investigation and interrogation of suspect Catubay, the gunman was identified. The apprehended suspect Catubay pointed out three different places which according to him are the possible whereabouts of his cohort,” Nartatez told reporters Wednesday when sought for an update on the case.
“Follow up operations were conducted on all places revealed by suspect Catubay but to no avail,” he added.
Despite this, Nartatez said he is confident the gunman will be apprehended soon as follow up operations are still ongoing.
“We will continue the intensified conduct of manhunt operation to arrest the already identified gunman. We assure the public and the family of the victim that justice will be served,” he said, adding that they are also looking if there are other suspects involved in Camacho’s killing.
Catubay will undergo inquest proceedings before the City Prosecutors’ Office for murder.
“To ensure an airtight case, investigators secured all witnesses, the crime scene, and all physical evidence recovered such as the fired slugs and cartridges as well as the cellphone and motorcycle used and recovered from the suspect. All pieces of evidence will be subjected to examination and processing,” he said.
Nartatez also confirmed initial reports that the police are looking at personal grudge as the possible motive in the killing as the victim was engaged in a lending business even before she ran and won in the BSKE.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) condemned the killing of Camacho and barangay chairman Paul Albert “Epong” Saquian of Barangay Datu Abdul Dadia in Panabo City who was reportedly shot dead by two persons on a motorcycle on Tuesday.
In a statement, Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said: “The Comelec condemns the killings in Pasay and Davao of winning candidates in the recent Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections, for whatever reasons they might be, whether election-related or not.”
“The Commission is one with the country in praying and hoping for peace and order and good governance through the newly-elected barangay and SK officials,” he added.
According to Laudiangco, the Rule of Succession provided under the Local Government Code will take effect after the killing of two newly-elected officials, which means that the highest ranking barangay councilor will assume the position of barangay chairman, while the vacancy in the barangay council seat will be filled by city or municipal mayor via an appointment. — With Gerard Naval and Ashzel Hachero