The Elections in Davao Region was generally peaceful, according to the assessment of the Regional Police Office XI.
“So far there has been no untoward incidents happened although there are reports of alleged vote buying but upon verification, it was proven false,” Brig. Gen. Marcelo Morales told reporters during an interview at Daniel R. Aguinaldo Highschool.
However in Bansalan, Davao del Sur, he said they arrested two individuals reportedly for vote-buying on the day prior to election. For the liquor ban, the PRO XI already arrested 60 persons on election day–25 in Davao City and 35 in Compostela Valley.
In the data shared by the PRO XI, there were 110 reported malfunctioned cote counting machines (VCMs) out of 1,440 units in the region as of 12 p.m. yesterday. However, the machines were replaced immediately.
Morales said that while the malfunctioned VCMs were being fixed and replaced, the members of the Board of Election Inspectors shifted to manual voting.
With regards to the 52 areas in Mindanao identified by Comelec as code orange, Morales said they sent additional manpower to secure the polling precincts.
City police director, Col. Alexander Tagum, also said the conduct of the electoral exercise in Davao City was orderly and peaceful.
Tagum said they received no reports “that will indicate problems particularly on the 52 classified as orange category area composed of far-flung barangays in Paquibato, Marilog and Baguio districts.”
“We have an initial information that accordingly, vote buying is ongoing in Sta. Ana Elementary School, so I immediately ordered the station commander to monitor the report. I even personally monitored the action,” he said.
However, they confirmed that it was a false report. The candidates were actually giving packed lunch for their supporters.
“We are going around the city since (Sunday) to supervise the security deployment and to monitor the situation on the ground. We went to Paquibato, Marilog, Calinan, Baguio districts and also here in the downtown areas,” he said.
“So far, I can report that our situation has been generally peaceful and orderly,” Tagum said.
Regina Mae Ronquillo and Julianne A. Suarez
