About 60 alleged flying voters armed with guns were caught in Buluan, Maguindanao del Sur, on Monday, May 12.
RH 19 Jhun Dimacutac reported that the group was riding a truck headed to the polling precincts when authorities asked them to stop and present their IDs. From this, authorities were able to identify that some of them were retired military personnel.
Moreover, some of them were not residents of Buluan City.
Some of the alleged flying voters were retired military officers and personnel, with one of them said to be running for a seat in office at the local elections.
Apart from the confiscated weapons, authorities also found a sketch map of Buluan.
The Buluan City local government is currently coordinating with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), so that they can interrogate the alleged flying voters who are from nearby municipalities in Maguindanao del Sur.
Meanwhile, Dimacutac also reported that tensions continue to rise between the supporters of the two local candidates.
The voters in Datu Odin Sinsuat are also dismayed over the outcome, adding that most of them decided to follow the early voting hours imposed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec). According to the report, some of them braved the heat in hopes of getting the chance to vote. While some of them decided to go home instead.
Due to this, residents in the area haven’t gotten the chance to vote yet. Additionally, the report stated that the election paraphernalia has not arrived in the area.
The situation in the area is ongoing.
