The 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) in Mimaropa region was “generally peaceful” on Monday, Police Regional Director Brigadier General Joel Doria said despite reports of untoward incident in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.
According to Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday, authorities arrested two individuals who allegedly stormed and destroyed ballots in two polling precincts in Puerto Princesa City prompting the temporary halting of voting there.
According to the police report, a violation of Omnibus Election Code Section 261 (z) occurred at Pilot Elementary School in Brgy Kalipay, Puerto Princesa City in Palawan around 10:52 a.m., covering clustered precincts 88, 89 and 90.
“The incident initially involved arguments between assigned watchers and voters near Precincts 0121B and 0122A under CP Number 90. However, the situation was later pacified by the responding personnel from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Coast Guard,” the police report read.
Despite this, Doria reported in a press conference on Monday, that the result of BSKE in the region was generally peaceful from the beginning until the end.
“Bagamat nagkaroon ng kaunting insidente sa Puerto Princesa Pilot Elementary School ngunit agad din itong naayos at nasa pangangalaga na ng pulis ang suspek, generally peaceful ang naganap na BSKE 2023 sa buong Mimaropa at yan ay naging posible sa tulong ng kasundaluhan at ng Coast Guard,” he said.
Comelec also said that the casting of votes continued after two hours from the time of the incident
