By JULES BENITEZ
Mindanews
ZAMBOANGA CITY— Five persons were killed and 10 others were wounded in 14 incidents of election related violence in the provinces covered by the Western Mindanao Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (WesMinCom).
WesMinCom chief Maj. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino also reported one incident of ballot snatching and the declaration of failure of elections in seven towns during a press conference organized by the United Front for Honest, Orderly and Peaceful Elections (UF-Hope) late Monday night.
In Lanao del Sur, five incidents of bombing and four incidents of strafing were reported. One person was killed. The perpetrators were not yet named as of press time.
In Zamboanga Sibugay, four persons were killed and nine were wounded at the height of the voting yesterday. Initial reports of the AFP indicated that members of the Philippine National Police opened fired at a gathering of the supporters of Surabay mayoral candidate Rogelio Lopez of Lakas-Kampi.
In Basilan, two violent incidents were reported. Firefighting occurred between partisan armed groups and the Philippine Marines at 8 a.m. in Barangay Kumair, Sumisip town. One member of the Marines was wounded. The AFP said the apparent motive of the armed partisans was to harass civilians and prevent them from voting.
At 1:15 p.m., 30 members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) under Commander Bashir attacked government security personnel in barangay Bato-bato in the town of Albarka resulting in a firefight that lasted an hour. The AFP said that the rebels were supporting mayoral candidate Samir Jakian and the attack was meant to disenfranchise voters of the opposing candidate. No casualty was reported on the side of the government troops and the civilians.
In the province of Sulu, one incident of election-related violence was reported. Unidentified armed men open fired at civilians with small arms and mortar shells in barangay Tulay, in the town of Panglima Estino. One company of Scout Rangers pursued the perpetrators. No casualties were reported as of press time.
In Tawi-tawi, an incident of ballot snatching was reported in barangay Tumahubong, Languyan town at 9:30 a.m. on election day. One policeman involved in the incident was arrested. The ballots were not recovered as of press time.
In Lanao del Sur, the COMELEC declared failure of elections in seven municipalities because of “confusion” over the clustering of election precincts.
Earlier COMELEC clustered polling centers into 19 clusters only to re-organize it into 55 clusters on election day. This resulted to confusion and eventual declaration of failure of elections. Affected municipalities were as follows: Masiu, Lumba Bayabao, Lumba Caunayan, Bayang, Tuburan, Sultan Marogong, and Lumbatan.
Dolorfino said elections were declared generally peaceful in the provinces of Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga City where no election-related violence was reported.
“This means that the security measures implemented by the AFP were effective and the synergy of the Joint Security Coordinating Centers established in all the provinces worked well,” he said.