Reported incidents of election-related violence increase to 73 —PNP

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has monitored a total of 73 reported incidents of election-related violence on election day as of 3 p.m., its spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said Monday.

At a press conference, Fajardo said only 16 reported incidents have been confirmed as election-related violence so far.

Five of the validated reports of election-related incidents were from Central Luzon, four each from Ilocos and Zamboanga, two from Cordillera, and one in Northern Mindanao.

Fajardo added that 15 of the total reported incidents are still undergoing validation, while 42 reports have been validated as non election-related incidents.

Earlier, the PNP said no serious threats have been detected in connection with the May 9 national and local elections.

“So far, wala tayong serious threat (we haven’t monitored any serious threat)," PNP officer-in-charge Police Lieutenant General Vicente Danao Jr. said.

“But we cannot be complacent sa ating [in our] monitoring, lalong na sa aspeto security preparations natin (especially in the aspect of our security preparations),” he added.

As of May 4, the PNP said at least 24 towns and four cities have been placed under the Commission on Elections’ control due to security concerns. — BM, GMA News