The Commission on Elections reported yesterday that 19 people were confirmed to have been killed during the holding of the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections on Monday.

Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said 29 untoward incidents occurred in relation to the BSKE that elected village and youth leaders in 42,001 barangays across the nation.         

"For the validated election-related violence which resulted in deaths, we had 29 of them. There were 29 incidents resulting in 19 deaths," Laudiangco said in an interview. Nineteen others were wounded, he added.

Most of the incidents happened in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which had the most poll hotspots tagged by the Comelec, Laudiangco said.

"Most of those killed were either supporters or relatives of candidates," he added.

He said the number of people killed during the 2023 BSKE was low compared to the previous BSKE in 2018.

"Coming from the previous election, we had 300-plus incidents resulting in less than a hundred deaths. Right now, it is still quite low," Laudiangco said of the 19 deaths.

BARMM hotspots

Nonetheless, the figures were still a "cause for concern for the Comelec," Laudiangco stressed, saying that "as much as possible, we don't want these incidents to happen."

The BARMM accounted for six of the 19 deaths, according to earlier reports.

Even before the polling precincts opened, two persons were found dead on the side of the road, along with four persons wounded, in Barangay Bugawas, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.

BARMM police chief, Brig. Gen. Allan Cruz Nobleza, said a separate shooting incident happened in Maguindanao del Sur, resulting in the death of a still unidentified person.

In Butig, Lanao del Sur, a candidate for barangay chairperson was shot while six people were wounded, including a barangay chairman candidate in Tuburan, Basilan.

The Comelec said 113 cases of election-related violence were being investigated even if they did not result in fatalities.

Meanwhile, the Comelec Western Visayas office suspended the proclamation of 25 candidates for having pending cases, according to Regional Elections Director Dennis Ausan.

"They knew they had pending cases. Our suspension order was served to our Board of Barangay Canvassers in the event these respondents won. They should not be proclaimed because of that suspension order," Ausan said. (See related story)

'Submit expenses'

In Manila, Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos urged the election winners to submit their Statement of Election Contributions and Expenditures early to the Comelec.

Abalos advised candidates not to wait for the 30-day deadline as mandated by Republic Act 7166. He also cited the need to ensure the inventory of barangay assets and properties for proper turnover.

The Philippine National Police noted a 12.5-percent decrease in validated election-related incidents during the 2023 BSKE compared to the 2018 BSKE. The police have figures that differ from those of the Comelec.

According to PNP information chief, Col. Jean Fajardo, of the 35 election-related incidents, 13 occurred in the Bangsamoro region, five in Cordillera, four in Mindanao, three each in Ilocos and Eastern Visayas, two each in Bicol and Central Visayas, and one each in CALABARZON, Zamboanga Peninsula and National Capital Region.

It said that 17 of them were shooting incidents. The PNP  seized 1,540 firearms and arrested 2,032 gun ban violators.               

With Glen Jacob Jose