FOUR more incidents have been validated by the police as related to the elections, raising to 20 the number of election-related incidents (ERIs) since January.
In a briefing organized by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, PNP spokeswoman Col. Jean Fajardo said the ERIs in this year’s elections were still low compared to previous polls.
Fajardo noted that there were 166 and 133 ERIs during the national elections in 2010 and 2016, respectively.
She attributed the low number this time to early preparations of the PNP and the Armed Forces, including addressing threats posed by the communist New People’s Army.
Fajardo said the PNP will continue to ensure the election period is peaceful and orderly. The election period, which started last January 9, will end on June 8.
She said two of the additional validated ERIs were shooting incidents in Zamboanga Peninsula while the other two — a gun-ban violation and a mauling incident — happened in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)
Overall, six ERIs occurred in Zamboanga Peninsula, five in Central Luzon, four each in Ilocos region and CAR and one in Northern Mindanao.
Fajardo said seven other incidents are still under investigation to determine if they can be considered ERIs.
Interior Undersecretary and spokesman Jonathan Malaya said: “I think this is one of the most successful conduct of elections in recent memory.”
Malaya noted the lower number of validated ERIs and zero atrocities by NPA rebels, among others.
Malaya also dismissed allegations of massive cheating in the elections.
“There is really no basis for some groups to claim there was cheating or massive cheating.
I have seen placards alleging massive cheating. These are not supported by data, these are not supported by facts on the ground,” said Malaya.
