SERIES of gunshots seemed more than enough to scare and send home teachers who were supposed to act as members of the local election board in the municipality of Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.
In a statement, the Philippine National Police (PNP) assured that the incident won’t affect the conduct of the election in Datu Odin Sinsuat as cops have taken over 104 polling precincts as members of the Special Electoral Board (SEB).
In a report reaching the PNP Headquarters in Quezon City, tension gripped Datu Odin Sinsuat after successive gunshots rang near the municipal hall, compelling public school teachers manning the polling precincts to stop the election at around 10 a.m.
PNP has deployed 300 cops as replacement, said Lt. Col. Joey Ventura in his capacity as spokesperson of the Bangsamoro region police.
Datu Odin Sinsuat has been placed under control of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) after an election officer was ambushed in April.
Previously, 3,698 PNP personnel were trained and deployed in the Bangsamoro region to serve as SEB in anticipation of election-related violence in Mindanao.