Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 28) — Three schools in Mindanao have caught fire on Saturday, burning classrooms that were assigned as polling precincts for Monday’s Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
These schools are located in Barira, Maguindanao del Norte; Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Sur; and Poona Piagapo, Lanao del Norte.
Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the fire in Barira, Maguindanao del Norte was caused by arson. Authorities are still investigating the three fire incidents.
The poll body earlier said Barira is under red category or “areas of grave concern” for the BSKE.
There were no casualties in the three incidents.
“Nag ocular ang election officers natin and nag report sila na kaya magpa-election sa mga school na nasunugan. May classrooms pa na magagamit natin,” Comelec Chairman George Garcia said in a statement.
[Translation: Our election officers did an ocular inspection and they reported that elections will push through in the schools that were burned. There are still available classrooms that we can use.]
The Comelec said there are 242 barangays in the red category for the BSKE, most of which are in the Bangsamoro Region.
