Thursday, November 01, 2007 Police say election period only had one poll-related case in Central Visayas
SINCE the start of the election period last Sept. 29, only one violent incident was considered poll-related, Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Director Ronald Roderos said yesterday.
Roderos was referring to the shooting to death of Camalian Barangay Captain Ramon Autida in Ubay town, Bohol last Oct. 21.
Autida was shot and killed by two motorcycle-riding men while traveling on the national highway.
For the entire Central Visayas, police arrested 40 people for violation of the elections gun ban. They confiscated 42 firearms.
During yesterday’s regular monthly PNP Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis held at the Club Ultima, officials from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in the region said last Monday’s barangay and youth elections were generally peaceful.
Cebu Provincial Election Supervisor Lionel Marco Castillano, however, expressed his dismay over reports that vote-buying in the Sangguniang Kabataan election was rampant.
Castillano said that information he received indicated that the going rate for votes went to as high as P3,000.
He said Comelec also received reports on free food and transportation offered by candidates, which he said, is also a violation of electoral laws.
He, however, said these reports were only made by “concerned citizens” over the phone and nobody came out to file complaints.
Castillano said that among the common problems encountered in the recent elections were missing names in voters’ lists, allegations of harassment, and lack of election paraphernalia.
Both Castillano and Roderos said they were thankful that there was no declaration of failure of election in any barangay in the region.
In Mandaue City, Senior Supt. Rodel Calungsud said they received a report about a flying voter in Barangay Umapad. He said appropriate action has been taken by the police. (JST)
