A total of 12 bomb attacks before and after the May 14 balloting highlighted the official report on poll-related violent incidents recorded by the Commission on Elections.

The report released Wednesday said seven bombings took place on May 14 and four ahead of the balloting and one a day after the polls.

It said explosions happened at a waiting shed in Barangay (village) Dalumangcob, Sultan Kudarat, Shariff Kabunsuan; in front of polling centers in Barangay Galakit, Pagalungan, Maguindanao; at 2131 Nuestra Señora Street, in Guadalupe Nuevo, Makati City; outside Dalican Pilot Elementary School in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Shariff Kabunsuan; at the municipal plaza of Sultan Kudarat; in two villages in Bongabong, Nueva Ecija and at the Vicinity of South Cotabato Electric Cooperative.

Although no one was killed in all of the attacks, the Comelec said five were rushed to hospitals due to injuries.

The report noted that in six incidents, improvised explosive devices were used and hand grenades in three attacks. The Comelec has no report on which type of explosives were used in the attacks on the Dalican Pilot Elementary School and on the Sultan Kudarat municipal plaza.

The Comelec report also noted the ambush in Barangay Pulot Lagayan, Abra, which killed PO3 Lauro Robino, PO1 Edgar Bolante, board of election inspectors Margie Labanan and Candida Sutian while injuring Namfrel volunteer Ronabel Alindery.

A total of eight encounters were reported from May 13 to May 14 in which 12 people were injured while three incidents of abductions were recorded on election day.

Harassments of supporters were also prevalent on election day and a day after the polls as the Comelec report showed incidents of intimidation took place in Barangay Balite Surigao del Norte; Dacutan, Esperanza, Agusan del Sur; Gabi village, Cordova, Cebu and at the Jagupit Elementary School in Jagupit village, Santiago, Agusan del Norte.

The Comelec said incidents of ballot snatching were reported in Poblacion, Dolores, Abra during the counting of votes at the Heart of Mary High School, in Cangayonan, Tinambac, Camarines Sur and Batasan village in Arayat, Pampanga.

Source : gmanews.tv