THE ALLIANCE of Concerned Teachers denounced reports of election-related violence it gathered through its ACT Teachers Hotline monitoring and media reports.

ACT sounded the alarm saying that these violent events put both the teachers’ and voters’ safety in peril and jeopardized the sanctity of the ballots.

In Cotabato City, personnel of the Philippine National Police were appointed by the Commission on Elections to man the vote counting machines in 47 clustered precincts as teachers who feared for their safety withdrew from election duties after protests erupted in connection with the appointment of Board of Election Inspectors.

Media also reported that armed men barged into a polling place in Magonaya Binidayan, Lanao del Sur and destroyed vote counting machines and ballots.

In Himamaylan Negros Occidental, a female senior high school teacher who would have served in the elections was gunned down Sunday night.

Three village gunmen who were assigned to secure the polls were also slain in Buluan, Maguindanao.

A strafing incident in Sumisip Basilan and “heavy firing” in Tabuan Lasa Basilan were also reported by the media.

“Lubos na nakakagalit at nakakabahala ang walang habas na karahasan na inihahasik ng mga nais manggulo sa halalan! Nakasalang dito ang buhay at kaligtasan ng ating mga guro at botante, at ang integridad ng halalan na magpapasya sa buhay ng bansa sa susunod na anim na taon. Early in the election day, the Comelec is failing big time in its mandate to ensure a safe, clean, honest and peaceful polls,” Raymond Basilio, the group’ secretary general, said.

Basilio also criticized the Commission on Elections for failing to install sufficient measures to secure the members of the electoral board against harassment and other forms of violence.

“Wala man lamang mga abogadong naideploy ang Comelec sa polling places para magbigay ng tulong ligal sa mga EB members na kumakaharap sa iba’t ibang reklamo at panggugulo sa mga presinto,” Basilio said.