PNP: 20 killed, 14 hurt prior to SK, village polls

Election-related violent incidents have risen to 34, a day before the barangay (village) and Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) polls, Senior Supt. Jose Gentiles told radio dzBB on Sunday. Gentiles, special operations division chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) directorate for operations, said that 20 have died, while 14 were injured as of October 27. But he said cases were way below the 159 incidents recorded in 2000 during the same nationwide local polls. He said five of those killed were barangay captain candidates, two were running for councilor, while four were incumbent barangay officials. He told dzBB that the PNP has put 4,355 villages or 10.3 percent of villages nationwide, under its watch list. He said villages in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has the most number of insurgents. Also, the PNP has arrested 318 violators, including eight policemen and two soldiers, since the gun ban started last September 29, Gentilles said. The PNP also seized 277 firearms, eight explosives and 52 bladed weapons, and filed 125 cases against violators. On a related matter, Church-run Radio Veritas reported that unidentified gunmen shot dead former Sta. Rosa City councilor Raul Aala near his house early Sunday morning. In Surigao del Sur, at least 10 armed men abducted re-electionist village chief Joselito Serna of Harip village in Hinatuan town. The incident occurred before dawn. Police said politics was the likely motive behind the killing. - GMANews.TV