THIRTY-FIVE people have been killed and 27 others were wounded in 47 separate election-related incidents, police said Monday.
In a press conference in Camp Crame as polls opened for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde said since the start of the election period on April 14, 18 elected government officials, six civilians, four candidates, three former elected officials and two supporters of poll bets have been killed.
Albayalde said, however, that only 13 of these deaths have been validated so far as being election-related.
During the same period, police reported 47 suspected election-related incidents.
Of the 126 suspects in the incidents, 29 were identified, 82 were unidentified, six were arrested and nine were released from detention.
Among the cases under investigation were the shootings involving Daanbantayan Mayor Vicente Loot in Cebu, who survived an ambush, and former La Union Rep. Eufranio Eriguel of La Union, who was killed.
Albayalde said that 181,212 personnel assumed election duty as the entire PNP went on nationwide full alert.
“As 36,781 polling centers across the country opened at 7 a.m. today, 73,562 PNP personnel manned their respective posts to provide security to these voting centers,” the PNP chief said.
He said on alert at the Police Regional Officers were 13,267 troops comprising the Reactionary Standby Support Force and 2,854 RSSF at the National Headquarters.
The 89,529 personnel comprising the Quick Reaction Teams were also placed on the highest alert condition and readiness to respond to any contingency, he noted.
Albayalde added that the deployment of PNP personnel was backed by troops from the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Commission on Elections acting chairman Al Parreño said the elections were successful, though marred by the usual problems of vote buying, threats, and missing poll precincts.
Parreño said that 177,574 clustered precincts or 100 percent were open Monday for voters to cast their votes.
“We are able to open all precincts, 100 percent. All 177,574 precincts were able to successfully open and they were able to start their elections,” said Parreño.
In a press conference, Parreño acknowledged that polling precincts in provinces such as Manalay, Mindoro; Tagoloan, Lanao del Norte; Turtle Island, Tawi-Tawi; Bacolod-Kalawi, Masiu; and Binidayan, Lanao del Sur were able to open a little later than 7 a.m.
Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said, however, that this was not considered a failure of election.
Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon, meanwhile, urged members of the media to act as witnesses if they recorded any poll irregularities.
“Those reporting on such matters can even stand as witnesses… those who captured them on video,” she said.
Albayalde said the PNP received fewer election-related violence reports than in the 2013 barangay elections.
In Lanao del Norte, Mayor Jabar Tago, his two brothers and five others were arrested Sunday for illegal possession of firearms, one day ahead of the elections.
Weapons seized included a sniper rifle, an AK-47, an M16 and a grenade launcher, Col. Robert Dauz, commander of the Army’s 2nd Mechanized Brigade, said.
Also on Monday, the Comelec said qualified teachers who served during the polls would be able to get the 5-percent tax deducted from their honoraria and allowances.
Based on Comelec Resolution No. 10332, public school teachers will be able to process the refund of their taxes withheld as provided for by the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law.
“Those serving in the Electoral Boards, DESOs, and support staff, who are exempted from withholding tax on compensation, shall be able to execute the prescribed Sworn Declaration, and to submit the same to the Commission on Elections for the processing and refund of the tax previously withheld,” the poll body said.
It noted that the refund was included in the provision of the TRAIN law, wherein those with an annual taxable income of P250,000 are exempted from income tax payment.
Covered by the provision are those serving in the elections, whose net taxable compensation for the year will not exceed P250,000, will now be deemed as “tax-exempt poll-workers.”
“Only those persons, who rendered election services and submitted the required sworn declaration, are entitled to the tax refund under this resolution,” the poll body said.