Comelec condemns killing of South Cotabato vice-mayoralty bet

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday condemned the killing of a vice mayoralty aspirant in the 2025 midterm elections in Tantangan, South Cotabato.

Former Barangay Bukay Pait chairperson Jose Osorio — who filed his candidacy for vice mayor in the 2025 May polls — was fatally shot, his body found in the kitchen of his eatery morning of Monday, November 18, 2024.

“We condemn in the highest possible terms this senseless killing. Sana naman hindi ito election-related,” Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia told reporters.

(We strongly condemn this senseless killing in the strongest terms possible. We hope that it is not related to the election.)

Police investigators said some neighbors heard gunshots evening on Sunday, but they just ignored them. The victim’s wife was sleeping in their house behind the eatery at the time.

Six empty shells from an undetermined firearm were recovered from the crime scene.

Garcia, for his part, called on law enforcement agencies for the expeditious resolution of the case, saying the Comelec would only be authorized to declare areas under its control during the election period on January 12, 2025 until June 11, 2025.

“Ang kapangyarihan namin ay papasok pa lamang sa Enero, 'yan ang tinatawag na election period. Wala kaming kapangyarihan na maglagay sa Comelec control sa kahit anong parte ng ating bansa o i-classify ang isang lugar as an area of concern,” he pointed out.

(Our authority will only take into effect in January, during the election period. We do not have the power to place any part of the country under Comelec control or to classify an area as a concern right now.)

“Itong lahat ng ito ay law enforcement issue and therefore, nananawagan tayo sa DILG, PNP na kaagad sana na maaresto ang mga responsible dito upang maipakita natin sa mga kababayan natin na kahit walang election period pa pwede maaresto ang mga ganiyang klaseng kriminal,” he added.

(All of these are a law enforcement issue, and therefore, we are calling on the DILG and PNP to immediately arrest those responsible so we can demonstrate to our fellow citizens that even outside the election period, such criminals can be apprehended.)

The poll body said it would use its power and resources to prevent election-related violence during the election period.

“The Comelec will definitely use all its powers and resources and with the help of our partners, to prevent these kinds of violence when the proper time comes -- that is the election period,” said Garcia. —RF, GMA Integrated News