Election-related violence leaves 19 dead in the Philippines

A woman watches as officials at a polling station start the counting of votes of the nationwide village and youth representative elections in Manila on October 30, 2023. Security forces were on high alert across the Philippines on October 30 as millions of people voted for village leaders following months of deadly poll-related violence. - AFP

MANILA (Bernama-AA): At least 19 people were killed and as many injured during local elections in the Philippines, a poll body official said on Tuesday (Oct 31).

Rex Laudiangco, spokesman of the Commission on Elections, said that authorities recorded 29 violent incidents on Aug 28 to Oct 30, when elections were conducted in different phases.

Most of the incidents were reported in the southern autonomous Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and Bicol region, Anadolu Agency reported Laudiangco told CNN Philippines.

Some 113 more violent incidents are being probed to determine whether those are connected to the elections.

The elections were originally set for 2020 but were postponed twice, according to the report.

Some 672,432 seats were up for grabs in the polls. - Bernama-Anadolu agency