Stoning incident mars voting in Bangued, Abra

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – Former Bangued town mayor Ryan Luna was invited by the police to shed light over the stoning incident inside a classroom during the start of the elections here which injured a council candidate, Monday, May 13.

Luna admitted that he was invited for questioning and that he told Abra provincial director Police Colonel Alfredo Dangani about his concerns on vote buying within the precinct.

At the start of elections at Patucannay Elementary School in the capital town of Bangued, Luna and his men reportedly stormed a precinct, clutching a voter’s list reportedly from the camp of his rival, incumbent Mayor Dominic Valera, showing who already voted and how much were they paid.

Valera’s men intervened and a stoning incident occurred. Sangguniang Bayan candidate Romulo Burton (PDP-Laban) from Luna’s camp was injured in the face while another unidentified supporter from the other camp was also injured.

“Batuhan haan nga botohan (Stoning not voting),” was what one Netizen here had it.

Dangani also reported a brawl in a polling center in Lagayan town between the supporters of Ryan’s brother, Mayor Jendricks Luna, and rival Edmarc Crisologo.

At least two persons were injured and all those involved were arrested by the police.

The entire province of Abra is under Comelec control as it was categorized as a Categeory Red election hot spot.  – Rappler.com

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