Philippines village leader poll results in three deaths.
More than 42,000 localities have more than 300,000 military
and police officials stationed to guard polling places.Millions of people cast
ballots for village leaders in the restive southern Philippines, where months
of violent violence tied to polls had left at least three people dead.
The nation's long-awaited countrywide vote for over 336,000 council seats began on Monday,
with security personnel on high alert throughout.Even though villages are the
lowest level of government, political parties use the council positions to
foster grassroots networks and develop a base of support for both local and
national elections, which makes them very competitive.
In order to safeguard polling places in over 42,000 localities, more than 300,000 soldiers
and police personnel have been sent in.In the Philippines, where there are low
gun regulations and a violent political culture, elections are usually a
turbulent time.
On Monday, outside a polling place in Maguindanao del Norte province, on the southern island of Mindanao, two people were killed and five others were injured, according to
authorities.Lieutenant Colonel Esmail Madin, the chief of police for Datu Odin
Sinsuat municipality, stated that the gunfight took place amid an altercation
between the followers of opposing candidates for village captain.Another
incidence occurred in Lanao del Norte province, where a van carrying a village
captain and her supporters was stopped on a route by individuals supporting her
challenger. The woman was slain in the ensuing gunfight.
Voters lined up at the capital city's schools, which served as voting places, to cast their
ballots.
"This is crucial for the populace. We must have the ability to talk to someone about our
issues," Rosemarie Garcia stated in the Tondo neighborhood.
Previous instances of violence during elections
The deadliest known instance of political violence in the nation occurred in Maguindanao in 2009, prior to its division into two provinces.
When armed men purportedly working for a local
strongman stormed a gathering to prevent a rival from submitting his candidacy
for office, fifty-eight people were slaughtered.
Before Monday's vote, the Philippine National Police reported on Sunday that there were 30
confirmed cases of election-related violence, down from 35 in 2018. However,
they did not provide an updated breakdown of the number of people killed or
injured.
In Mindanao, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region accounts for about one-third of the
events.According to earlier police figures, violence related to the poll
resulted in eight fatalities and seven injuries between August 28 and October
25.The elections, which President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called "very
important" for legislators at the higher levels on Monday, have almost 67
million people registered to vote.
After casting his ballot in Batac City, the northern province of Ilocos Norte, the bastion of his
family, Marcos declared, "Be guaranteed that you will receive 350 votes if
other barangays.
promise to provide 350 for you in their barangay. Because of this, the outcome
is crucial.
Voters will select seven council members and a
village captain who will be in charge of carrying out federal regulations,
settling conflicts between neighbors, and delivering essential public services.
Politicians can also "disseminate funds and other favors to secure votes" through
village councils, according to Maria Ela Atienza, a political science professor
at the University of the Philippines.
Although village elections are scheduled to take place every three years, the most recent one
occurred in 2018.On the grounds that the government could not fund them, they
were postponed by Presidents Rodrigo Duterte and Marcos.