From the Philippine News Agency (May 10):
Army: Central Mindanao polls generally peaceful, orderly despite some violent incidents
After voting precincts closed Monday afternoon, the Army's
6th Infantry (Kampilan) Division braced for another challenge in most parts of
Central Mindanao in keeping security tight until the winners are officially
declared, the military here said Tuesday.
The entire election day was spent by military and police men
doing the round of precincts which were reported to have issues mostly on
commotions between supporters of opposing candidates.
Incidents recorded since late night Sunday include
explosions coming from rifle grenades hitting shanties and nearby structures of
Datu Unsay public market in Maguindanao town, resulting in the death of one
farmer, Habiri Katapukan, and wounding of another three persons.
As precincts of Tambunan
Elementary School in
Guindulungan, Maguindanao opened early Monday, uproars were felt between the
Liberal Party mayoralty candidate supporters and UNA mayoralty candidate
supporters which resulted in the death of two persons, Tagani Midtimbang, who
died from physical injuries and a certain Ogay Pega who was shot dead by one of
the supporters of the opposing party.
In Pagalungan town, a rocket-propelled grenade was also
fired and exploded two meters away from Mamasabulod Elementary
School around 6:45 a.m. However, it did not
hamper the conduct of elections until voting was over Monday afternoon.
At past 9 in the morning, supporters of the incumbent Benzar
Ampatuan and supporters of his opponent also engaged in a brawl that further
turned into a firing of weapons and resulted to wounding of four persons
namely: Saula M Usop 17, Ibrahim Usop, 23, Badriya Usop, 42 and Juhari Mohamad,
23.
Major Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, Task Force Central commander
and head of Task Force CHOP (Clean, Honest, Orderly and Peaceful) elections,
said generally the peace and order situation of his area of jurisdiction was
peaceful as compared to the 2013 national and local elections.
A total of 15 election related violence incidents (ERVI) had
been recorded for election day alone, a significant decrease from the former 38
in 2010 elections and 24 in 2013 elections, respectively. These resulted in
death of three persons and injuries of 10 others.
Pangilinan went around the entire area of operations to
personally see the deployment of the soldiers and to check on any issues and
concerns that might have come up requiring his decision the entire day.
“The massive peace covenant signing campaign prior the
election day has greatly caused the decrease of the ERVIs,” he said.
“We have noticed that the candidates themselves detest
violence and hone a clean and credible electoral process, which is a welcoming
development,” he said.
“Despite the numerous challenges that have tested the
security sector, the measures prepared for contingency plans were successful in
hampering atrocious plans and actions,” Pangilinan said.
“The heavy presence of soldiers and police in areas which were
identified as areas of immediate concern pre-empted election-related violence
to prosper,” he added.
As early as the first week of May, troops were already
pre-deployed and pre-positioned to different strategic areas that the command
deemed necessary that troops be temporarily stationed.
The Task Force Kampilan CHOP which was led by Col Romeo
Brawner Jr., and tasked as a rapid deployment force, was also sent to areas of
immediate concern.
It was the same unit that stopped the riot between
supporters of mayoralty candidates of Shariff Aguak
Municipality a day before
the election as well as to incidents in Datu Unsay and Guindulungan
municipality.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=883850