PNP-12: BOL plebiscite peaceful, free in NoCot
BANGSAMORO NEWS UPDATES • 08:13 AM Thu Feb 7, 2019
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By:
Edwin O. Fernandez
Police Directgor Daniel Macatlang (left), director of DIPO-WESTMIN and Chief Supt. Eliseo Tam Rasco, PRO-12 director talk to police officials ahead of Wednesday’s BOL plebiscite in North Cotabato. (PNP-12)
MIDSAYAP,
North Cotabato – The political exercises in 67 villages in seven towns in North
Cotabato was general peaceful and people voted freely, a police official said.
Chief Supt.
Eliseo Tam Rasco, police director for SOCCSKSARGEN region, described the
balloting as peaceful and people were able to vote freely.
There was no
reported violence that could affect or disrupt or endanger the credibility of
the referendum that is as of 5 p.m., Rasco said.
He said only three
incident reports found their way to police log books. One was poll related
while the other two were not.
An alleged
member of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) was arrested while inside the
voting precinct in Barangay Dungguan, Aleosan, Maguinanao at 7:55 a.m. for
carrying unlicensed gun.
Rasco identified
the man as Mohammad Sawan Kutok, 32, farmer and a resident of Barangay Dunguan,
Aleosan, North Cotabato.
Rasco said
poll personnel noticed Kutok carrying a sling bag inside the polling precinct
but refused to be checked by members of plebiscite committee (plebcom).
This prompted
poll personnel to alert soldiers and policemen nearby.
A man was shot
dead also in Midsayap at past 10 a.m. and another man was also shot in Carmen,
North Cotabato at about noon.
These
shooting incidents were not related to plebiscite, it was more of personal
grudge, Rasco said.
Counting at
precinct level was still on going as of posting.
As to the turn out,
Lawyer Jay Gerada, acting election chief of North Cotabato, said the number of
voters who actually voted can only be known once canvassing is completed at
town level.