Comelec: Ambush on Sulu election exec's vehicle possibly poll-related violence

The shooting of the vehicle of an election officer in Sulu which resulted in the death of one person may possibly be considered as poll-related violence, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Sunday.

Comelec chairman George Garcia said it was Sulu Provincial Election Supervisor Julie Vidzfar herself who was saying that the ambush in Zamboanga City on Saturday morning might have something to do with the upcoming 2025 elections.

“Siya ang nagsasabi na mukhang ito’y election-related sapagkat meron silang mga tinanggihan na mga bagay doon sa mga ilang politiko roon. Kung kaya ‘yan ang ating lead, ‘yan ang ating sinusubaybayan lalo na sa imbestigasyon na ginagawa ng PNP,” Garcia said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.

(She is saying that it seems to be election-related because she rejected some things from some politicians there. That's our lead and that's what we're looking into, especially in the investigation being done by the Philippine National Police.)

Vidzfar was reportedly unharmed following the ambush, but her sibling whom she was with in the vehicle died in a hospital after suffering from a gunshot to the head.

The unidentified gunmen immediately fled after the shooting.

According to Garcia, this was the third incident of violence against Comelec field personnel after the filing of certificate of candidacy in October.

He said the incident may also be a ground for an area to be considered as an area of concern or be placed under the Comelec control.

PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo earlier said an area can be declared an “area of concern” or under Comelec control under the following conditions: if an election-related violence transpired there, if there’s intense political rivalry, or if there’s a presence of private armed groups.

“Sa isang lugar, kapag may hindi nakuntento sa ginagawa mo, lalo pa’t ang plano nila ay masama at tinigilan mo, talagang gagawa at gagawa sila ng paraan,” Garcia explained.

(In an area, if someone is not satisfied with what you are doing, especially when they’re planning something bad and you stopped it, they will really find a way to get what they want.)

“Dahil ako, hindi ako magpapalit ng mga provincial election supervisor ko eh. Pinapanindigan ko na sila dapat ang nandiyan, sila ang nakakaalam ng lugar. Kung hindi nila mapapalitan, eh siguro ‘yun na lang ang nasa isip nu'ng mga ilang masasamang pulitiko, papatayin na lamang sila para lang makuha ang kanilang kagustuhan,” he added.

(I will not change my provincial election supervisors. I maintain that they should be in their respective areas because they know the place. If the bad politicians can't have them replaced, they would rather have them killed just to get their own way.)

The poll chairman also called on the PNP for the immediate arrest of the perpetrators behind the  ambush. —KG, GMA Integrated News