AROUND 110 people have been apprehended for violating the two-day liquor ban which started on Sunday midnight, May 12.
Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas, Police Regional Office (PRO) Central Visayas director, said of the 110 liquor ban violators, 67 are from Cebu City, 35 from Cebu Province, seven in Bohol and eight from Negros.
Sinas made the statement during a press conference on updates on the midterm elections on Monday, May 13.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) started implementing the nationwide liquor ban starting 12 midnight on Sunday, May 12.
The liquor ban will end on 11:59 p.m. on Election Day.
Aside from liquor ban violators, police also monitored various incidents related to the midterm elections in various parts of the region a day before and on Election day.
Police personnel were able to record five cases of alleged vote buying in Cebu and Negros Oriental.
Of the five cases, four of which are from Cebu City.
Sinas said they also monitored two persons were hurt while the other was killed in separate shooting incidents the provinces of Bohol and Negros Oriental a day before the elections.
In Loay town in Bohol, two alleged supporters of a mayoralty candidate there were hurt after they were fired upon by unidentified men at dawn on Election Day.
Lucas Wate, a supporter of Loay mayoralty candidate Hilario Ayuban,was riding his motorcycle with his companion Michael Gaslang, when they were suddenly waylaid by 10 unidentified persons in the said town.
The assailants reportedly shot the two men, in which Wate sustained a gunshot wound on his left chest.
On the other hand, Gaslang sustained injuries on his head and stomach after he was mauled by the suspects.
In Negros Oriental, Jovencio Ade died after he was attempted to fire upon personnel of the Siaton Police Station.
Ade, allegedly, without apparent reason, fired his gun directly to the responding personnel of Siaton Police Station.
He was immediately brought to a medical hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
Sinas said these two cases are already being investigated.
Four hours after the simultaneous opening of polling precincts on Monday, Sinas said no major election-related incidents were reported within the region.
On the other hand, Comelec election assistant Doris Flores said that aside from minor problems encountered in various polling precincts in Region 7, the election process is generally progressive.
"Naay minor problems, mga VCM (vote counting machines) nga nagkailangan og contingency, like mga paper jam, or scanner nga defect. But dili na maka disrupt sa voting," Flores said.
She added that the voting process will close at 6 p.m. of May 13.
However, even after the cut off, registered voters who are still within 30 meters of a polling precinct will still be accomodated, Flores said.
As of 7:30 am, Cebu Province gubernatorial candidate Agnes Magpale, and incumbent Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo have already casted their votes.
Sinas then remind the policemen to be patient, to monitor their health as well, and to maintain the security of the polling precincts they are assigned to.
"Pagtiyagaan. Huwag i-abandon ang polling precinct. Mag shade o magpayong kayo para hindi madehydrate o ma stroke," he said. (WBS)