COTABATO CITY — Three people, including a police officer, were injured in a shooting at the Cotabato City Central Pilot Elementary School on Monday morning, prompting the temporary suspension of voting for the first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections.
The incident happened around 7 a.m. while voting was underway at the polling center.
The three injured were immediately brought to a hospital for treatment.
Initial reports said the incident began when two groups of voters allegedly got into a fistfight inside the school compound.
3 dead, 15 wounded in Cotabato City shooting hours before BARMM polls
Authorities reportedly fired warning shots after failing to immediately pacify the groups. Witnesses, however, also reported hearing other gunshots during the commotion.
Authorities have yet to determine who fired the other shots.
Voting was suspended following the incident, while voters were ordered to leave the polling center as authorities secured the area.
Some voters reportedly refused to leave the school compound.
Legal counsels of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party also arrived at the school following the incident.
Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region Regional Director PBGen. Christopher Abecia personally went to the polling center to assess the situation.
Cotabato City has been placed under Commission on Elections control amid security concerns surrounding the elections.
As of writing, authorities were awaiting the Comelec’s decision on whether voting at the Cotabato City Central Pilot Elementary School would resume.
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