Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año listens as President Rodrigo Roa Duterte presides over a meeting with key government officials at the Arcadia Active Lifestyle Center in Matina, Davao City on May 11, 2022. TOTO LOZANO/ PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Thursday reported that seven Filipinos were killed on election day in 27 incidents.
In a report during President Rodrigo Duterte’s “Talk to the People” address, Año said six out of the seven killings were confirmed to be election-related.
“Mayroong 11 shooting incidents…mayroong grenade explosion…mayroong commotion…mayroong mga pumasok sa loob ng precinct [na] tinatawag nating physical assault…strafing incident…at destruction ng dalawang vote-counting machine,” Año said.
The incidents left 33 other people injured.
Año said the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) recorded 245 vote-buying incidents from Jan. 1 to May 9, 2022.
“Out of the 245 incidents, 25 po rito ang nakuhanan natin ng mga ebidensiya, na-validate natin, at ang dalawa po ay under investigation; ang apat ay nai-refer na sa prosecution office; at ang isa ay nai-file na sa korte,” Año said.
So far, 28 individuals have been arrested over vote-buying, while 13 others remained at large.
Despite the incidents, Duterte said the elections were “generally peaceful.”
“I thank and congratulate the Comelec, our teachers, the military, the police and the civil society sector and of course the thousands of volunteers for all your — for all the work and handling, participation in the conduct of this year’s election,” he said. John Ezekiel J. Hirro