DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 10 May) – Police arrested 12 persons for violating the election liquor ban in Davao City implemented from May 8 to 9.
Maj. Ma. Teresita P. Gaspan, spokesperson for Davao City Police Office (DCPO), said in an interview over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5) on Tuesday that police authorities strictly enforced the liquor ban to ensure a peaceful conduct of local and national elections in the city.
Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Resolution No. 10746 issued on December 16, 2021 states that Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines penalizes violation of the liquor ban with imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than six years and shall not be subject to probation, and in addition, the guilty party shall suffer disqualification to hold public office and deprivation of the right of suffrage.
She said the locals may now buy and serve liquor as the ban has been lifted.
Gaspan said other than these arrests, the conduct of local and national elections in the city was “generally peaceful” aside from the reported faulty VCMs.
“In as far as security is concerned, we have not received any reported incidents, and the conduct of the elections was generally peaceful,” she said.
She said the police have not received incidents of robbery during the elections.
Gaspan said earlier that police officers had been deployed to secure the polling centers.
She said around 2,000 police personnel were deployed for election duties around the city, including providing escorts to teachers in transporting the election returns to the Sangguniang Panlungsod building, the designated area for canvassing. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
