COTABATO CITY – Tension erupted between government forces and unidentified men with sticks and iron rods who threatened to storm the Sero Central Elementary School, one of the voting centers here for the historic Bangsamoro parliamentary elections on Monday.
Colonel Jibin Bongcayao, Cotabato City police chief, said the group of men attempted to enter the voting center along Sinsuat Avenue, but was prevented by police and Philippine Marines.
State forces, backed by armored personnel carriers, were present as the number of persons chanting “Allahu Akbar” was growing. They claimed cheating was happening inside and that the voting favored a political party.
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Bongcayao denied the men’s claim.
The men turned their anger toward two white Toyota Fortuner luxury vehicles parked beside the highway in front of the voting center.
Using sticks and huge stones, the men smashed the two vehicles before the eyes of law enforcers who appeared to be helpless in containing them.
Tension started at about noon when the men, wearing ski masks, face masks, and hoodies, forced their way inside the polling center but were prevented by law enforcers.
While security forces were dealing with the unruly crowd, two Army Apache helicopters were seen hovering over Cotabato City, which was placed under the control of the Commission on Elections (Comelec)./coa
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