Police on Thursday, October 10, 2024, said misinformation could have triggered the tension that ended in the death of a barangay peacekeeping action team (BPAT) member on the last day of the filing of certificate of candidacy (COC) in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao del Sur.

The incident also injured five others, including a policeman and an employee of the local government.

Authorities said supporters of a political aspirant may have received information that the aspirant was not allowed to file a COC.

“Possible, dahil alam mo naman ang text natin ngayon… isa sa mga tinitingnan na factors na nagkakaroon ng misinformation sa baba na nakarating sa kanila na hindi sila pina-file,” Shariff Aguak Municipal Police Station Chief, Lt. Col. Regie Albellera, said.

Police clarified that a civilian allegedly reported that the aspirant has a warrant, prompting them to put the filing of COC of the aspirant on hold temporarily for verification.

“Pagdating, pina-logbook namin sila. May dalawa kasi civilian na nag-witness… sir, ‘yan yung may warrant, so tama, pinakuha ko sa Station 2. Hinold ko yung tao for verification at saka ma-compare ko yung pangalan niya doon sa warrant of arrest na hawak namin,” Albellera added.

Albellera said they have invited the aspirant for further questioning.

“Only to find out na sa warrant namin… dahil medyo magkaiba… pangalawa, wala din akong holdings doon na i-hold siya kasi nga mag-file din siya ng kanyang candidacy so pina-go nami siya,” Albellera said.

The requirements of the aspirant were also lacking.

“Hinatid namin dito. Kaya lang, natagalan dito sa COMELEC dahil kulang siya ng documents… at that time, 12 noon na eh, mainit sa labas, inabot kami ng oras… hinintay pa doon kunin sa Cotabato yung COC with notarized, natagalan… hanggang sa nagkagulo na pala sa labas. Na-trigger na ang mga supporters,” Albellera said.

Investigation into the incident continues.

“Sa part namin ng kapulisan, ongoing pa rin ang pag-imbestiga to find out kung sino talaga ang nag-provoke, perpetrator, kasi may wounded, may namatayan… actually, tatlo-tatlo yung both sides, tatlo sa opposite part,” Albellera added.

ISOLATED CASE

Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (COMELEC-BARMM) said the incident was an isolated case.

COMELEC-BARMM said the COC filing in BARMM was generally peaceful.

“All of those in BARMM, except for the municipality of Shariff Aguak, talagang matiwasay, very peaceful, convenient itong filing natin. In fact, everyone is allowed to join their respective candidates para maipakita nila ang suporta,” COMELEC-BARMM Director, Atty. Ray Sumalipao, said.

COMELEC-BARMM is also gearing up for the COC filing for the 2025 parliamentary election on November 4 to 9, 2024.

“We will prepare again for this. We will be conducting series of consultations, and of course, coordination with our security personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police. But it would be easier to secure this because the filing will only be at the Office of the Provincial Election Supervisor,” Sumalipao added.