On Monday’s elections, soldiers are staying at the gates of Gabi Central Elementary School in Compostela town, Compostela Valley. (contributed photo by Kilab Multimedia)
Kontra Daya said the military and police gathered all the voters of clustered precinct 22 on Thursday — those coming from puroks 1, 4, 9, 10 and 11 — in the village hall to explain that their presence is for peacekeeping. “Voters felt otherwise. Many felt harassed and scared,” Kontra Daya said.
By DAVAO TODAY
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Tension gripped voters in Gabi village, Compostela town, Friday after military trucks and tanks with soldiers in full battler gear are seen at the gates of Gabi Central Elementary School in time for the special elections in one of the clustered precincts there.
This was reported by poll watchdog Kontra Daya in Southern Mindanao.
Based on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Resolution 9485, government troops should maintain the 50-meter radius distance from the polling centers.
Kontra Daya added that the military and police gathered all the voters of clustered precinct 22 on Thursday — those coming from puroks 1, 4, 9, 10 and 11 — in the village hall to explain that their presence is for peacekeeping. “Voters felt otherwise. Many felt harassed and scared,” Kontra Daya said.
Supporters of Adolfo Ang, one of the mayoralty candidates in Compostela town, also trooped to the area, as they wait for the results.
Ang and Lima Bolo, another candidate for mayor, are in a tight race with only a 94-vote margin. The results of this special election in Gabi will either make or break any of these candidates.
The Comelec-XI earlier said the special election is necessary since it would affect the standing of the said candidates in the race. It then set May 17 for the special elections based on its May 15 Resolution No. 9702.
Amidst the tension, Provincial Police Director Senior Superintendent Camilo Cascolan, in a text to davaotoday.com Friday noon, said his people “could manage.”
Earlier, the police chief said “security and safety nets,” in coordination with the military, have been emplaced and that they also put up assistance center. He added they have imposed the liquor and gun ban in the whole municipality of Compostela.
“We will make sure that the voice of the people will be heard,” Cascolan said.
Last Monday, election was postponed in Gabi’s clustered precinct 22 after the official ballots were erroneously delivered to Lualhati village in Baguio City, and vice versa. Six precincts with 858 registered voters were affected in Gabi while four precincts were affected in Lualhati with an undetermined number of registered voters.
Meanwhile, Sheena Duazo, convener of Kontra Daya, said they received reports that an “influential politician” has been forcing voters in Gabi to vote for his mayoralty bet on the special elections today. The said politico has allegedly offered PHP 2,000 each to the voters.
Duazo added that the politico’s daughter, an incumbent congresswoman, allegedly went to Gabi on Wednesday evening, offering the voters a million pesos, galvanized iron sheets for roofings and rice.
“This is a clear violation of the people’s right to choose their own leader and a clear form of harassment. They are even using the military to threaten the people,” Duazo said. (With a report from Ace R. Morandante/davaotoday.com)
Compostela, ComVal, Election, Kontra Daya
