Comelec Confirms Successful BSKE 2023 Elections Despite Incidents of Violence

Intramuros — Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia announced that the recently held Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) of 2023 occurred without failure in any of the 201,786 precincts across the Philippines. This is in spite of several incidents of violence, particularly in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

According to Philippines News Agency, who made the statement during a press conference at the Comelec Command Center, the electoral board members, especially teachers, played a critical role in ensuring the elections took place successfully.

Reported Violence: Election watchdog Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) reported multiple instances of violence during the elections, most notably in BARMM. According to PPCRV regional coordinator in BARMM Fr. Dave Procalla, two people were killed and five were wounded in a shooting incident in Brgy. Buawas, Datu Odin Sinsuat in Maguindanao del Norte. Moreover, an array of incidents involving armed supporters, gunshots, and ballot tampering were reported in other regions.

Despite these challenges, Garcia emphasized that all of the 201,786 precincts functioned during this year’s elections. Some precincts experienced delays in starting the voting process due to security issues. In response to the violent incidents in BARMM, voting hours were extended in the region.

Electoral Boards Quit: Garcia also mentioned that around 2,530 electoral board members in BARMM withdrew their participation before polling day due to security concerns. Education Spokesperson Undersecretary Michael Poa added that 29 teachers from Abra and two from Brgy. Lapat Balantay in Tineg also initially wanted to quit after hearing gunshots but ultimately continued their service during the BSKE.

According to Garcia, the term “failure of election” applies when events such as violence, intimidation, or loss of election paraphernalia make the holding of an election impossible. However, because these incidents occurred close to the closing of the polls, Garcia concluded that the elections could be considered successful.