CAMP GEN. SIMEON A. OLA, Legazpi City, (PNA) — Members of the Board of Election Inspectors of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), poll watchers and their police escorts from the Matnog Municipal Police Office cheated death when New People’s Army rebels ambushed their motorized boat transporting ballot boxes from Barangay Bon-ot Daco, Matnog, Sorsogon, on Monday afternoon.
A report reaching Chief Supt. Victor Deona, Police Regional office 5 chief, said the incident happened at about 5:00 p.m. Monday while the group was transporting three ballot boxes on board a motorized banca from the village.
The communist guerrillas suddenly shot at the group, the report added.
The police escorts shot back at the rebels while the boat pilot maneuvered and sped towards Barangay Calitaan for safety.
The group was bringing the ballot boxes to the Matnog municipal hall for canvassing due to the heated situation in Barangay Bon-ot Daco.
The election inspectors and their companions arrived at the municipal hall at about 8:30 p.m. and started canvassing the votes, witnessed by the supporters of both opposing candidates.
Deona said authorities had earlier received an intelligence report that armed men would snatch the ballot boxes so they decided to conduct the canvassing in the municipal hall of Matnog.