PNP validates 5 poll violence incidents

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is currently validating five incidents of violence to determine if they are related to the May 2025 elections.

These incidents include two each in the Zamboanga Peninsula and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and one in the Davao Region, a rise from the two reported earlier in the week.

The PNP has confirmed only one election-related incident of violence so far, which occurred in Western Visayas.

Fifteen previously suspected election-related incidents have been confirmed as unrelated to the polls.

Despite this, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has observed an increase in election-related violence in Maguindanao and Cotabato City, beginning around February 11.

Comelec chairperson George Garcia stated that although these specific areas have seen an uptick, the overall number of election-related violence cases this year remains the lowest recorded since 2013, with politicians frequently being the victims in the Bangsamoro region.