1 DEAD, 5 WOUNDED AS VIOLENCE MARS LAST DAY OF COC FILING IN MAGUINDANAO DEL SUR

VIOLENCE marred the last day of filing of certificate of candidacy (COC) for the May 12, 2025 national and local elections in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao del Sur  on Tuesday after a shooting incident broke out leaving one man dead and five others wounded.

The shooting occurred around 300 meters away from a municipal office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Bgy. Shariff Aguak in Maguindanao del Sur around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Investigation showed officers guarding the municipal compound heard successive gunfire coming from the Comelec office.

Policemen responded but they were fired upon by still unidentified gunmen, prompting lawmen to retaliate.

Six were found to be hit, three of them supporters of the incumbent mayor, while the three others belong to the rival group.

One of the three supporters of the incumbent mayor died while undergoing treatment in a local hospital. Another was listed in critical condition while the rest were sent home after treatment.

Philippine National Police spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean S. Fajardo said Maguindanao del Sur has a history of being an election area of concern prior to the shooting incident.

She said that the incident prompted the deployment of additional security forces in the province specifically that after the end of the filing of COCs, it is expected that there would be more intense partisan political activities in the area.

She added that as a result of the Tuesday’s incident, Maguindanao del Sur would definitely be considered as a possible Election Area of Concern or EAC in next year’s mid-term elections.