PNP: Elections in W.Visayas generally peaceful
As far as peace and order situation, yesterday’s conduct of automated elections in Western Visayas went on without any major glitches.
Police Regional Office (PRO) VI public information officer Supt. Ranulfo Demiar claimed that they have not received reports of major criminal incidents all over the region.
“As of presstime, the situation is normal. There is no problem with regards to our security preparations. We have not received any major complaint here at the PRO-6 media center,” Demiar declared.
As expected, the PRO-6 spokesperson said that they only heard of several vote buying occurrences during the election day but no formal complaint was filed anywhere in Western Visayas.
So far, Demiar said that they only received two reports of violent incidents in the region.
The first one happened at around 5:15 in the afternoon at Sitio Batiano, Brgy. Bulabod, Malinao, Aklan.
Although it could not be ruled as election-related violent incident, Demiar said that they listed the killing of Brgy. Capt. Efren Fernando of Capatagan, Malinao since the latter is an elected official.
One of the suspects in the killing of the village chief was his nephew, Ranny Fernando.
The suspect, along with three others, remains at large, as of presstime.
The incident also wounded Efren’s companion, Ronel Renacido.
At around 12:15 a.m. of yesterday, Concepcion Police Station recorded an alleged strafing incident.
The Isuzu D-Max pick-up owned by Sangguniang Bayan member Sandy Boy Salcedo, son of incumbent Mayor Elizabeth Salcedo, was strafed at Onate St., Poblacion, Concepcion.
The complaint noted that the incident happened in front of the house vice mayoralty candidate Ariel Manipula which also served as headquarters of the local Liberal Party.
The vehicle incurred damages on the rear body and its reserved tire.
However, the driven Ivan Villaruel was physically unharmed.
Before the elections, Demiar noted that PRO-6 recorded two major incidents.
The first one was the shootout between three policemen of Tibiao Police Station in Tibiao, Antique and supporters of mayoralty candidate Gil Bandoja.
The incident claimed that life of Bandoja’s three supporters and injured six others.
The three cops, who was not physically hurt, were immediately restricted pending the proper investigation on the incident.
Prior, the day of the elections, however, Demiar cited that two major incidents were recorded to include the legitimate police operation in Tibiao, Antique which caused the death of the supporters of mayoral bet Gil Bandoja.
A day before that, five Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines were allegedly torched while kept inside the Home Economic building of Cadoldolan Elementary School at Brgy. Caduldulan, Miagao, Iloilo.
The two cops securing the PCOS machines claimed to have seen some 15 rebels in the area.
However, the said incident remained to be verified, since residents claimed that they heard no gunfire or seen any armed men when the incident happened, contrary to what the two policemen claimed.
Since the start of the election period, the PRO 6 was able to record nine cases of election-related violent incidents; four in Iloilo province, three in Iloilo City and one each in Aklan and Capiz.
