7 poll-related violent cases posted during election period
Seven violent incidents related to the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections were recorded by the Philippine National Police (PNP) since the start of the election period last April 14.Chief Supt. John Bulalacao, PNP spokesman, did not give details on these incidents, but said at least 546 persons were arrested from April 14 to 25 in various checkpoints, police patrol, service of warrants and other police operations.
Of the 546, at least 217 persons were arrested during patrols, 102 from the service of warrants and 35 from various police operations that include Galugad, Sita and Bakal.
In Basilan, a former barangay captain running in the May 14 polls and three of his family members were shot dead by unidentified men in Basilan’s Ungkaya Pukan town last Sunday.
But investigators are still checking whether the deaths of former barangay chairman Usang Asani and his three relatives could be considered the first election-related violence.
An initial report said the four were asked to go out of their house by men who wore military uniforms before they got shot.
Senior Insp. Jemar delos Santos, spokesman for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Police Regional Office, said a person of interest was already placed under police custody for illegal possession of firearms and would be charged for a violation to Republic Act 10591 in relation to the Omnibus Election Code.
Bulalacao also revealed that the PNP has asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to place Masbate under its supervision and control due to the province’s intense political rivalry, presence of armed group, proliferation of loose firearms and the reported activities of criminal and other threat groups.
He added that Chief Supt. Antonio Gardiola, police regional director for the Bicol region, has requested the poll body to intervene in the situation. However, Comelec has yet to act on the request, Bulalacao said. In the past, the PNP included Masbate among the areas it considered as hotspots, mainly due to the series of violent incidents triggered by political rivalry in the provincial and local level.
Higher compensation
Meanwhile, those who will render service in the upcoming barangay and SK elections will receive higher compensation as the government implements Republic Act 10756 or the Election Service Reform Act.
Education Secretary Leonor Briones explained that although the law was signed by former president Benigno Aquino III in 2016, its full implementation will only be in the upcoming polls after approval of its implementing rules and regulations.
The law raises the pay for teachers who will serve as chair of the electoral board from P4,500 to P6,000. Board members will now get P5,000 while Department of Education supervising officials will get P4,000 and their support staff, P2,000.
Also to be given are an additional P1,000 in travel allowance, a minimum of five days service credit, legal indemnification package worth P50,000, medical assistance of up to P200,000 and election-related death benefit amounting to P500,000.
Briones said DepEd would soon sign a memorandum of agreement with Comelec to ensure that the welfare of public school teachers serving in the polls is promoted and protected.
“It has been almost three years since the law took effect. The department is pursuing a review of the honoraria, allowance and benefits with the Commission on Elections for our teachers who do not waver from rendering their time and energy to secure the sanctity of the ballot,” she stressed.
The compensation for teachers, she added, shall be paid within 15 days from the date of the election.