By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan/Philippine News Agency
MANILA — The special elections in a barangay in Jones, Isabela on Monday was generally peaceful, a Philippine National Police (PNP) official said on Tuesday.
PNP spokesperson, Col. Bernard Banac, said no untoward incident was reported during the polls held at Barangay Dicamay Uno.
“Reports reaching PNP Chief, Police General Oscar D Albayalde in Camp Crame, from the Officer In Charge, Police Regional Office 2, and Deputy Regional Director for Administration, Police Brig. Gen. John Cornelius Jambora, in Cagayan Valley Region, disclosed that at 6 p.m. voting officially closed,” Banac said in a statement sent to reporters.
He added that members of the Board of Election Inspectors (BEI), together with the vote counting machines and election paraphernalia from the polling precinct, were escorted by personnel of Jones Police Station on the way to the municipal hall.
“At about 7:10 p.m. Monday, the team arrived at Jones municipal hall together with the BEIs, VCMs and election paraphernalia with no untoward incident reported. And around 7:32 p.m., results of special election were successfully transmitted to municipal board of canvassers, Jones, Isabela,” said Banac.
An additional 149 police officers were deployed in Jones, Isabela for the special elections.
PNP chief, Gen. Oscar Albayalde, said the deployment of additional policemen aims to ensure that no group or personality would again sabotage the election in the area.
The deployment of the cops is due to the incident last May 14, a day after the national and local polls, when gunmen intercepted a truck carrying election canvassers and election paraphernalia in Barangay Sta. Isabel.
The gunmen then took the two vote counting machines and ballots and burned them before fleeing.
The getaway vehicle of the gunmen was found abandoned but burned. A follow-up operation resulted in the arrest of two suspects.
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