AN explosion occurred Monday morning, May 14, in Datu Unsay while police officers replaced the election tellers after a commotion in Datu Saudi, Maguindanao, a military official said.
Colonel Gerry Basana of the Civil Military Operations of the 6th Infantry Division Philippine Army said an M203 grenade launcher exploded around 11 a.m. behind the municipal hall of Datu Unsay.
He said it was fortunate that no one was hurt in the incident.
Basana said the conduct of pursuit operations against the perpetrators who immediately fled towards Barangay Satan, Sheriff Aguak, Maguindanao is ongoing.
He said they have yet to deternine the motive of the suspects.
Meanwhile, Basana said a commotion was reported during the opening of polling precincts for the Barangay and Sanguniang Kabataan elections in Datu Saudi, Ampatuan, Maguindanao when residents waylaid the teachers who were then carrying ballot boxes on their way to the polling precincts.
He said the residents wanted to transfer the electoral exercise to Barangay Dapiawan from Barangay Madia.
The police and the military immediately responded to the incident and police personnel replaced the teachers and served as election tellers to ensure the orderly conduct of the election.
Earlier, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Oscar Albayalde ensured the readiness of the police to respond to any eventualities in the Mindanao region during the local elections.
“Kung makita n’yo over the past few weeks palaging Mindanao ang sorties natin just to make sure our operational readiness lalo na sa Mindanao area at kinakausap natin mga commanders to intensify their police operations, checkpoint operations and red teaming natin,” he said.
“All the DIPO (Directorate for Integrated Police Operations) ng PNP naka-deploy na especially in Mindanao to check on the operational readiness of our personnel, pati mga directors nandun ngayon,” he added.
He said over 1000 police personnel in the said region underwent training to serve as Board of Election Inspectors, of which over 800 are already performing such role. (SunStar Philippines)