Violence, glitches mar 2025 midterm polls
ELECTION DAY SHOOTING: Police examine the scene of a shooting in Barangay Mambulac, Silay City, Negros Occidental on the morning of the midterm elections on Monday, May 12, 2025. The attack left two people dead and five others wounded. — Photo courtesy of Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region
MANILA, Philippines — Several anomalies and violent incidents marred the midterm elections on Monday, May 12, 2025.
Among the worst of the election-related violent incidents occurred in Basilan, where three people, including a poll watcher, were killed and two others wounded in a predawn boat clash near Hadji Muhtamad town Monday, hours before elections began.
READ: 3 dead, 2 hurt in Basilan Election Day clash
In Negros Occidental, two people were killed and five others were wounded in a shooting incident early Monday, in Barangay Mambulac, Silay City.
READ: 2 killed, 5 injured in Negros Occidental shooting
Police identified one of the alleged assailants as Arnie Benedicto, village chief of Barangay Lantad. Benedicto, along with two still unidentified companions, fired their guns as they passed by a political group’s headquarters, according to investigators.
READ: Police pursue suspects in fatal Silay City Election Day shooting
In Basilan province, four persons were killed in armed skirmishes in a village of Hadji Mohammad Ajul town on Sunday, the eve of Election Day.
READ: 4 dead in Basilan clashes on eve of elections
In Lanao del Sur, a candidate for a municipal council seat of Bayang town and his brother were killed in an attack by still unidentified gunmen on Monday morning.
READ: Lanao del Sur bet for town council, pal slain in gun attack on voting day
A village councilor in the hinterlands of Bohol province was shot dead on the eve of the May 12 midterm elections.
READ: Village councilor shot dead in Bohol on eve of midterm polls
Twelve men and a lawyer who allegedly interfered with their arrest were taken into custody on Saturday, May 10, in Pidigan town, Abra province, for violating the election gun ban.
READ: 12 armed men, lawyer nabbed for election gun ban violation
Police arrested two men following a foiled ambush attempt in Sitio Kabukogan, Barangay Poblacion, Sibonga town, southern Cebu, on the eve of the May 12 elections.
READ: 2 nabbed over gun ban violation after ambush try in Cebu
Police in Buluan town, Maguindanao del Sur arrested on Monday four men armed with assault rifles as they tried to pass a police outpost.
READ: 2025 elections: Cops arrest 4 heavily armed men in Maguindanao del Sur
A similar incident occurred in Eastern Samar: five people were arrested at a checkpoint in Barangay Tangbo, Arteche town after police found firearms and illegal items in their vehicle.
READ: 5 nabbed at E. Samar checkpoint for illegal possession of firearms
A heated argument with the supporter of a mayoral bet cost the life of a voter in Maguing town, Lanao del Sur on Election Day.
READ: 1 dead in election day stabbing in Lanao del Sur
There have been also been reports of harassment of media personnel covering the elections, the Presidential Task Force on Media Security sounded the alarm on Monday.
READ: Task force on media security cites 3 harassment cases vs media workers
Marcos, Lacson not spared
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was not spared from glitches involving the automated counting machine at San Mariano Marcos Memorial Elementary School in Barangay Valdez, Batac City, Ilocos Norte.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. votes at Mariano Marcos Memorial Elementary School, Batac City, Ilocos Norte on May 12, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Presidential Communications Office)
READ: President Marcos fed ballot twice before it was accepted by ACM
Senatorial hopeful Ping Lacson said he experienced a minor glitch when he cast his vote in Imus, Cavite for the 2025 midterm elections.
Senatorial candidate Panfilo Lacson votes at a school in Imus, Cavite on Monday, May 12, 2025. — Photo courtesy of Panfilo Lacson’s office
READ: Lacson experiences glitch with voting machine
Among the most controversial incidents is the release of a video purportedly showing poll watchers in the province of Abra shading the ballots of elderly voters in order to assist them.
Watchers assist elderly voters inside a precinct in Abra. — Screenshot from the Facebook page of Vice Governor Joy Bernos
READ: Video with 10M views shows watchers shading ballots for seniors in Abra
Eighty males, including minors, were arrested in Buluan town, Maguindanao del Sur, early Monday after they allegedly admitted to being paid to vote in the area despite being residents of other provinces.
Former Maguindanao governor and mayoral candidate Esmael Mangudadatu posted on Facebook that the men were in possession of new voter registration records allegedly issued by the municipal election officer.
READ: 80 alleged ‘flying voters’ arrested in Maguindanao del Sur
In Bohol, two poll candidates are facing disqualification cases for alleged vote buying.
READ: Comelec says 2 Bohol candidates facing DQ cases for alleged vote-buying
Also in Bohol, long queues of voters hounded the conduct of the elections in the province amid the early start of the polls.
Residents are waiting for their turn to cast their votes at Tagbilaran City Central School on Monday in Tagbilaran City, Bohol on Monday, May 12. – Leo Udtohan/Philippine Daily Inquirer
READ: Many Bohol voters wait for 2 to 4 hours to cast votes
In Negros Oriental, At least 19 ballots intended for Bayawan City were mistakenly included in the ballot supply for Tanjay City.
READ: Bayawan ballots end up in Tanjay in Negros Oriental
Thirty two automated counting machines malfunctioned across Central Luzon on Monday morning but were immediately replaced by the Commission on Elections.
READ: 32 malfunctioning vote-counting machines replaced in Central Luzon
Voters from Meycauayan City in Bulacan called out Commission on Elections hotline operators after they were told to just trust the system, as shaded ballots have not yet been fed to the automated counting machines.
Shaded ballots pile up at a voting precinct at the Meycauayan National High School in Bulacan on Monday, May 12, 2025. — Photo from Vince Caballero/Facebook
READ: Meycauayan voters: Shaded ballots not being fed to ACMs
In Camarines Sur, eight people were arrested for alleged vote-buying across several municipalities.
READ: 8 arrested in alleged vote-buying in Camarines Sur
In Marikina, a man was caught distributing copies of a tabloid containing articles against suspended Mayor Marcy Teodoro.
A police officer questions a man who was allegedly caught handing out copies of a tabloid, which purportedly contains articles against suspended Marikina Mayor Marcy Teodoro, on election day, May 12, 2025. — Contributed photo
READ: Man caught handing out ‘tabloid’ vs suspended Marikina mayor
