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AT least
13 election-related violent incidents have happened
since the start of the election season on January 15.
Records
released by the National Police showed that of the 13
incidents eight occurred in Eastern Visayas, two in
Metro Manila, and the rest in
Central Visayas,
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and Southern
Mindanao.
Of the
eight incidents in Eastern Visayas, six were murder
cases, two robbery hold-ups while the other was
frustrated murder.
Those
killed were Paranas, Samar vice mayor Francisco Langi,
Agripina Langi, Jessie Dacanay, barangay kagawad Rufino
Sila, Ruffa Sila, barangay kagawad Martino Ceilo and
Daram, Samar mayor Benito Astorga.
Investigators claimed that Astorga’s killing was
perpetrated by the communist New People’s Army (NPA) on
January 25 at the village of Birawan in Daram town.
In Metro
Manila, three were killed in two election-related
incidents. Killed were barangay chairman Lamberto Asayo
and barangay kagawad Jared Alforque, both of Binondo,
Manila, and barangay kagawad Rolando Laborte of
Malabon
City.
The
police said that in Central Visayas, Bow Moreno, a
mayoral candidate in La Libertad town, in Negros
Oriental was killed on January 21.
In the
ARMM, police said barangay kagawad Willy Karim and
Ernesto Arnis, both of North Upi, Maguindanao, were
killed by two suspects—Talino Andong and Aron Andong—on
February 4 at the village of Kibeg.
In
Southern Mindanao, barangay captain Renla Lim and one
Elvira Lim were also killed by still unidentified
assailants in Marilog District in
Davao City
on February 2.
Relatedly, on the enforcement of the Commission on
Election-imposed gun ban, the police said that it has
arrested 426 persons and confiscated 380 firearms, 15
hand grenades, seven homemade bombs and 46 deadly
weapons nationwide.
The
Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA),
meanwhile, sought the National Police’s help in the
implementation of “Oplan Baklas” after a traffic law
enforcer was critically injured after being shot while
tearing down election campaign posters in Manila.
Robert
Nacianceno, MMDA general manager, identified the victim
as Ernesto Bravo. Bravo was shot in the back on Monday
while tearing down posters near the Don Chino Roces
Bridge (formerly Mendiola) in Manila.
Nacianceno said investigators are still determining if
Bravo was shot by the persons who placed the campaign
posters.
Bravo is
scheduled to be operated on.
Earlier
the MMDA advised candidates to place their campaign
materials in designated areas identified by the
Commission on Elections (Comelec).
MMDA
Chairman Bayani Fernando reiterated that it is the
agency’s duty to remove campaign and other posters of
politicians installed along road rights of way.
The
Commission on Elections has ordered the agency to
intensify the removal of the greeting posters of
politicians and other individuals planning to run on May
14.
On
January 16, Comelec issued a resolution deputizing and
ordering the MMDA to demolish all the election
propaganda materials in Metro Manila in nondesignated
common poster areas.
The
Comelec also instructed the MMDA to document the
violations and take pictures of greeting posters of
politicians along the streets and the commission will
discipline the erring candidates. (With C. Mocon) |
