THIRTY-five election-related incidents (ERIs) have been validated by the PNP since the election period for the May 12 national and local polls started in January this year.
The PNP’s Public Information Office (PIO) said the incidents led to the death of 13 individuals and wounding of 16 others.
It also said the police force is validating seven other incidents which are classified as suspected ERIs.
It said that 20 incidents, which were earlier reported to be suspected ERIs, have turned out to be unrelated to the polls.
PNP-PIO chief Col. Randulf Tuano also said that 2,800 firearms have been confiscated and 2,710 individuals arrested for violation of the election gun ban since January 12.
The Manila Police District yesterday said a nominee of the Ang Bumbero ng Pilipinas (ABP) party-list was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Sampaloc, Manila on Monday, two weeks before the May 12 elections.
The MPD said ABP party-list nominee Leninsky Bacud was shot multiple times by unidentified gunmen along P. Guevarra Street in Sampaloc, Manila.
Comelec chairman George Garcia condemned the killing of Bacud, saying violence has no place in electoral exercises.
“We condemn to the strongest possible terms these killings as it is the ballots that should reign in a democracy, not bullets,” Garcia said, adding: “Let us respect life. No one should lose their life just because of the elections.”
Garcia said the ABP is facing an intra-party dispute as there are two sets of nominees filed with the poll body for the May 12 elections.
He said, though, that he is not linking Bacud’s killing to the intra-party dispute.
“This is just a reality that the said party-list is dealing with an intra-party dispute that is being heard by the Comelec,” he said.
Last October 1, the ABP – Umandap faction filed the names of its 10 nominees in the forthcoming elections.
On the other hand, the ABP – Goitia faction filed their own set of 10 nominees, including Bacud, on October 4.
In another development, Garcia said the Comelec will not hesitate in filing disqualification or election offense charges against individuals who will be found to have committed acts of vote buying or abuse of state resources (ASRs).
“We have already proven that we are determined to file petitions to disqualify candidates after issuing show cause orders,” he said, adding that “the show cause order is important to start the process. We cannot just file cases without it (SCO) as the case may just be dismissed eventually.”
Garcia cited their actions in the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections as proof of their determination.
“We will do the same as there shouldn’t be any distinction in our actions, whether barangay or SK or national or local candidates,” he said.
Garcia said the filing of charges against candidates are not discriminatory, saying that
“if you look at the list of those with SCOs, it doesn’t look into the political parties nor the positions involved. We will issue (SCOs) to whoever needs to explain to the Comelec.”
Data from the Comelec’s Committee on Kontra Bigay show that 213 SCOs have been issued by the poll body.
Among the SCOs issued, 130 are due to alleged vote buying and vote selling acts, mostly via cash assistance.
There are also 67 SCOs issued due to abuse of state resources, such as misuse of government assistance programs.
Among those issued SCOs are mayoral bets Isko Moreno, Samuel Versoza, and Honey Lacuna of the City of Manila, as well as Stella Quimbo of Marikina City, and Jeannie Sandoval of Malabon City.
Also issued SCOs are gubernatorial candidates Zarah Rose Lara of Cagayan, Danilo Fernandez of Laguna, Reynante Tolentino of Aurora, and Datu Ali Midtimbang of Maguindanao del Sur.
The Comelec also sought the explanations of the Kamalayan ng Maralita at Malayang Mamamayan (Kamalayan) party-list, senatorial bet Camille Villar, as well as non-candidates Winfred Rivera and Jeren Jude Bacas.
The areas with the most number of SCOs are in Calabarzon with 44, Central Luzon with 38, National Capital Region with 33, Bicol Region with 16, and Mimaropa with 16.
Meanwhile, Sen. Joel Villanueva said the outcome of the midterm elections will be crucial for the Senate in the wake of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.
Villanueva said this is the reason why voters should carefully choose the next set of 12 senators in the incoming 20th Congress since a senator’s job includes sitting as impeachment judges.
“Sitting as a judge in an impeachment court is not an easy task nor is his or her job as a regular legislator because they will be sitting as members of the jury. It is not an easy job),” Villanueva said in Filipino at the Kapihan sa Senado media forum.
“Whoever we will elect should know that and should be able to contribute to a successful and competent Senate,” he said as he urged voters to thoroughly check the background of a senatorial candidate before voting for him or her.
Villanueva said voters should also consider the stand of candidates on the issue of the West Philippine Sea amid an announcement of Senate majority leader Francis Tolentino that Beijing is supporting pro-China candidates.
“I think it’s a big issue. I think it’s not just if a candidate is pro-China or anti-China, but they should be pro-Philippines. We have to fight for what is ours,” he said. – With Gerard Naval and Raymond Africa
