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Comelec condemns 'unforgivable' election-related violence ahead of BSKE

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Victoria Tulad, ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — &quot;Unforgivable.&quot;</p><p>This was how Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman George Garcia described the election-related violence reported ahead of the October 30 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE).</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/21/23/comelec-monitoring-vote-buying-through-social-media">#BSKE2023: Comelec monitoring vote-buying through social media</a></li></ul><p>Three more incidents were reported to them, one of which is a shooting incident in Bgy. Maingaran, Masbate City where a candidate for village councilor died and the incumbent chairman was wounded after being shot last Sunday.</p><p>According to the initial police report, the two were attending a wake when a group allegedly connected to a candidate came which resulted to a commotion and shooting. The suspects fled. </p><p>In Barangay Tan-awan, Placer, Masbate, an aspirant for barangay chief was ambushed Monday while campaigning. The candidate and a resident were wounded, while a supporter was killed.</p><p>A hot pursuit operation is being conducted against the suspects.</p><p>In Barangay Rosary Heights 12, Cotabato, three died and two were wounded after being shot while hanging campaign posters on Monday.</p><p>“Nakakabagabag yung ganyang klaseng insidente lalo pa&#x27;t hindi lang nasasaktan kundi may mga namamatay tayong kababayan. Ang pagtakbo ay hindi dahilan para magbuwis ng buhay. Ang pagtakbo ay nago-offer ka ng serbisyo mo sa ating mga kababayan. Pero yung ikaw ay kukuhanan ng buhay, hindi po yan katanggap tanggap at kapata-patawad,” Garcia said.</p><p>So far, 25 election-related violence have been reported to Comelec, which is up by three from Monday.</p><p>Although the gun ban and checkpoints are effective, Garcia hopes Philippine National Police (PNP) will intensify its campaign against loose firearms.</p><div><strong>OPLAN BAKLAS</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2842752" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>With less than a week to go before the elections, Comelec is also focusing on Oplan Baklas to remove illegal campaign materials</p><p>Garcia himself led the operation held in Barangay 162, Pasay City at around 10 a.m.</p><p>With the help of personnel from the local government unit and the PNP, Garcia removed campaign posters in a narrow alley that were tied to electrical wires.</p><p>He did the same in nearby Barangays 163, 164 and 165 in Pasay.</p><p>The poll body clarified that even if residents allow campaign posters to be put up in front of their houses, if these are tied to electrical wires, then these are illegal.</p><p>Campaign materials must only be placed in common poster areas which are usually found in plazas and markets.</p><p>Garcia said they will file cases of illegal campaigning.</p><p>Those who have pending cases, may it be about illegal campaigning, premature campaigning or any election offense, will not be proclaimed in the event that he wins the elections.</p><p>The case must first be resolved and succession will be implemented to fill the vacancy in a position.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/10/23/23/govt-ready-to-ensure-peaceful-fair-barangay-sk-polls">Gov&#x27;t ready to ensure peaceful, fair barangay, SK polls: Comelec</a></li></ul><p>If a candidate for barangay chairman wins but has a pending case, he will not be able to sit.</p><p>The barangay councilor who gets the most number of votes will serve as barangay chairman for the meantime.</p><div><strong>FINAL TESTING AND SEALING</strong></div><p>On Monday, Comelec also finished the final testing and sealing of vote counting machines that will be used in pilot areas in Cavite.</p><p>Although the October 30 elections is manual, meaning voters will write in their ballots, three sites will have automated elections to pilot test the effectivity of this system during the BSKE.</p><p>These are Barangay Paliparan III and Barangay Zone II in Dasmariñas, and Barangay Pasong Tamo in Quezon City.</p><p>The poll body is also set to operationalize the precinct finder.</p><p>“For the last 3 weeks na, naghihintay ang Comelec ng go signal mula sa DICT. Meron po kasing agreement ang DICT at Comelec na hindi kami maglalabas ng mga system related matters ng hindi nabibigyan ng go signal ng DICT lalo na sa karanasan natin na nagkaroon ng breach sa data na nilabas ng Comelec sometime in 2016 na kung saan may mga nakasuhan na mga opisyal ng Comelec,” Garcia explained.</p><p>He said they have met with a group of experts to prepare for hacking.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/21/23/119-more-villages-in-bske-red-category">119 more villages in BSKE &#x27;red category&#x27;</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lJstAfTbouI?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Although the gun ban and checkpoints are effective, Garcia hopes Philippine National Police will intensify its campaign against loose firearms.

Comelec condemns 'unforgivable' election-related violence ahead of BSKE

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Comelec condemns 'unforgivable' election-related violence ahead of BSKE

Victoria Tulad,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 24, 2023 04:54 PM PHT

Read More:

Comelec

Commission on Elections

election related violence

George Garcia

oplan baklas

final testing and sealing

BSKE

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