MANILA – The Philippine National Police has recorded 33 deaths in suspected election-related incidents since the start of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan election period.
A total of 42 incidents – 35 suspected and seven validated – were recorded as of 6 a.m. Monday, PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde told a news conference.
Thirty-three of these were shooting incidents, two were kidnapping, while there were strafing, arson, harassment, illegal detention, ambush, grave threats, and grenade-throwing incidents, too (one case each).
Of the 33 people killed, 18 were elected government officials, four were candidates, three were former elected government officials, two were supporters, and six were civilians.
The PNP recorded 26 wounded and 24 unharmed individuals involved.
Out of the injuries reported, five were elected government officials, two were candidates, 10 were supporters, and nine were civilians.
Forty-two cases were still under investigation, six were in the prosecutor’s office, three were filed in court, and one was dismissed upon filing.
There were 126 suspects. Twenty-nine of those identified were still at-large while 82 of those unidentified were unaccounted for.
There are 73,562 officers positioned at their respective posts in 36,781 polling centers across the country, the PNP said.
There are 78 million registered voters and 36,781 voting centers for the first barangay and SK elections under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte./PN
