MONDAY’S elections will likely register the highest rate of deaths compared to the country’s previous polls, a nongovernment election monitor said Thursday.
The Consortium on Electoral Reforms, which is behind the initiative Vote Peace, also said this year’s polls was the “most explosive.” Twelve grenades exploded on election day, mostly in Maguindanao’s second district and Lanao del Sur, it said.
The CER monitored 27 incidents of poll-related violence that left 22 people dead and 24 wounded.
“Pending verification of other reported incidents, May 10 will perhaps register the highest rate of casualties, compared to immediate past elections,” the NGO said. The consortium said most of the victims were voters going to their polling centers or lining to vote and supporters of rival candidates crossing each other’s path.
Lanao del Sur had the most number of violence with nine incidents, resulting in six fatalities—two of them minors caught in the crossfire—and one wounded.
“The series of violence in Lanao del Sur on election day may have been contained if the Comelec had declared the province under its control much earlier,” said the CER.
Comelec placed Lanao del Sur and several other areas under its xcontrol only on the evening of May 8.
Aside from the grenade explosions on Monday, the CER said even precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines were not spared from violence: Armed men burned five units in Miag-ao, Iloilo.
The CER said incidents of poll violence since the election period began on Jan. 10 leaped to 111 in only three days with 36 incidents erupting from May 8 to 10.
Most of incidents were shooting clashes between supporters of rival candidates, strafing and grenade lobbing.
It said the rate of 111 ERVIs until May 10 remains lower compared to the 166 incidents in 2004 and 181 in 2007. This year’s death toll stands at 87 fatalities and the number of wounded at 96.
The CER noted, however, “unusual peace” in traditional election hotspots throughout the election period such as Abra, Nueva Ecija and Samar. Sulu also registered an almost no-violent incident, it said.
The CER said it still expects sporadic violent incidents until election period ends on June 9, but expects a significant slowdown.
“Post-election day violence in the past was due to clashes of partisan supporters massing in canvassing centers and ballot-box snatching,” the consortium said.