Millions of Filipinos voted for barangay and youth leaders in an electoral exercise Monday that was marred by violence in Mindanao and allegations of vote buying by some candidates or their supporters.

Two people were killed and five others were wounded Monday outside a Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections polling precinct in the Mindanao province of Maguindanao del Norte, police said.

Datu Odin Sinsuat town police chief P/Lt. Col. Esmael Madin said the incident happened during a confrontation between supporters of rival candidates for village chief.

Likewise, two schools to be used as polling precincts in the same province were deliberately set on fire, Commission on Elections chairman George Garcia confirmed to reporters.

In the run-up to Monday's vote, there were over 30 confirmed incidents of election-related violence — compared with 35 in 2018 — the Philippine National Police said Sunday. Police data showed eight people were killed and seven injured in poll-related violence between 28 August and 25 October, the pre-election period.

'Very important'

About 300,000 police officers and soldiers were deployed to secure polling stations in over 42,000 villages across the country. More than 92 million people were registered to vote in the elections that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. described as "very important" for higher level politicians.

Marcos cast his vote in his family's stronghold of Batac City in the northern province of Ilocos Norte.

"If a barangay chief tells you, 'I will deliver 350 votes for you in my barangay,' rest assured you will get 350. That's why the result is very important," he explained.

Vice President Sara Duterte cast her vote in Davao City. (See related story)

More than 336,000 council positions were up for grabs in the long-delayed nationwide vote, including the influential post of barangay chairperson. Village elections are supposed to be held every three years, but the last vote was in 2018 on account of a lack of funding.

While barangays are the lowest level government unit, the council posts are hotly contested because they are used by political parties to cultivate grassroots networks and build a support base for local and general elections.

According to University of the Philippines political science professor Maria Ela Atienza, getting allies elected to barangay and youth councils enable politicians to "disseminate funds and other favors to secure votes" in elections for higher posts.

The Comelec said it is probing vote buying complaints against elected officials backing barangay candidates. 

"We are investigating one governor and 13 mayors because it appears they were doing vote buying activities inside their residences," said Garcia, in an ambush interview after he voted at Banaba Cerca Integrated School in Cavite.

Garcia then told local government officials to keep their hands off the BSKE. "We are hoping that local government officials won't interfere because the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections are getting more chaotic," he said.

Last 27 October, Garcia said that more than 100 BSKE candidates were involved in vote buying, which is punishable with up to six years in prison under Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code.

"We will not forgive those who have violated the law, just like those individuals who tore up the ballots in Palawan. Let's just let it all be over," said Garcia during a press conference held at Palacio del Gobernador, the Comelec's main office in Manila. 

"We will take legal action against those who obstructed teachers in Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte in the Bangsamoro region, those who threatened and sent back electoral boards who were forced to move out the ballots," he added.

The Comelec said the 365 controlled areas under the red category reported no untoward incidents. The poll body commended the 490,000 teachers who served as election officers.

 On Monday, the head of the Philippine National Police, General Benjamin Acorda, said 100 percent of all polling precincts were able to open, even as 31 election-related incidents were reported, mostly in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

But generally, especially in Metro Manila, the electoral exercise was peaceful, according to Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos, who said vote buyers were apprehended by the police.

National Capital Region Police Office chief P/Brig. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said only four cases of vote buying and three violations of the liquor ban were reported.

Peaceful, orderly

Poll watchdog Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting said in a press briefing the elections were "generally peaceful and orderly" despite the violent incidents and vote buying reported.

"There were only a few reported incidents where they attempted to campaign by distributing sample ballots and leaflets bearing the names of candidates," the group said.

"There were also a few perennial problems like not being able to find their names on the list of voters."

The PPCRV deployed 250,000 volunteers nationwide to monitor the BKSE.

Acorda identified the suspected gunmen in the Maguindanao shooting as Romar Abas, alias Mok, Keds Lidasan, Michael Avas and Teng Kapaya. The two people killed remained unidentified at press time.

In Tuburan, Basilan, six people were wounded when an alleged member of the Philippine Coast Guard went on a shooting and hacking spree inside a polling center, according to provincial police director P/Col. Carlos Madroño.

Meanwhile, two candidates for village chief — incumbent Abdul Latif Rascal and challenger Soud Lumbak Palman  —  engaged in a shootout in Sitio Perlo in Lanao del Norte, an hour before polling precincts opened at 7 a.m. No one was reported hurt.              

With GLEN JACOB JOSE, ALDWIN QUITASOL, NONOY LACSON AND AFP