The Philippine National Police (PNP) yesterday said that the number of validated election-related incidents has risen to 35, with 13 reported fatalities.
One of the latest recorded fatalities was Ang Bumbero ng Pilipinas (ABP) Partylist nominee, Leninsky Bacud.
Bacud was shot multiple times by unidentified gunmen along P. Guevarra Street in Barangay 435, Zone 44 in Sampaloc, Manila on Monday.
According to preliminary reports from the Manila Police District (MPD), the shooting occurred shortly before 6 p.m. in Sampaloc.
Witnesses described the assailants as riding-in-tandem motorcycle gunmen who fled the scene immediately after the shooting.
A police officer who is a resident of the area also had an encounter with unknown suspects where he was shot in the leg and several parked vehicles were hit.
Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna vowed that no stone will be left unturned as she condemned the assassination of Bacud, former barangay chairman of Barangay 435, Zone 44 in Sampaloc.
“I assure the Bacud family and all Manileños that we will do everything in our power to bring all those responsible to justice. They will answer for the violent death of Leninsky Bacud,” Lacuna said in a statement.
Lacuna has directed Manila Police District Director PBGen Benigno Guzman to mobilize all available resources and lead a thorough, impartial and relentless investigation into the said case and ensure that every angle is pursued.
Based on data from January 12 to April 28, the highest number of incidents were recorded in the Cordillera and Bangsamoro regions, with 11 and 8 incidents, respectively.
Region IV-A (CALABARZON) followed with five incidents, while Zamboanga Peninsula had three.
Two incidents each were also reported in the Western Visayas and Davao regions, and one incident each in Ilocos Region, Central Luzon,
Eastern Visayas, and Region 12 (SOCCSKSARGEN).
Meanwhile, PNP also confiscated around 2,800 firearms and arrested 2,710 individuals as part of the government’s enforcement of the omnibus election gun ban.
The number of areas of concern has been reduced from 36 to 34, after the towns of Datu Sinsuat and Buluan in Maguindanao del Sur were placed under the control of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) due to rising violence.
The election period for the 2025 Philippine general election runs from January 12 to June 11, 2025.
