Election at the O.K. Corral

So for those of you outside the Philippine archipelago...it is mid-term election time...due to being out of the country and now having to catch up on work I am a fairly busy lass, hence I'm not reading the local papers with my usual fine toothcomb and so periodically I am just quickly scanning the front page of the Inquirer website...

What is alarming at the moment is the number of people that are being shot at - injured and killed - in election motivated attacks, plus the number of people that are being 'threatened'..and therefore asking for protection..

A smattering of headlines for your reference / further reading...

unexploded grenade was recovered inside the headquarters of a re-electionist mayor

former police officer turned politician was shot and killed...was seeking a seat in the town council

A mayoral candidate of a town on Bantayan Island in Cebu was shot dead in front of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) provincial office

seven political candidates in Metro Manila have asked for additional security from the police

Mayor hurt, aide killed in fiesta attack - actually this one is worth reading....'The latest deaths brought to around 30 the number of people killed in violence since the start of the campaign period.'

Congressional bet slain

Bloodiest poll incident: 2 dead, 12 hurt in N. Ecija

2 dead, 3 hurt in Nueva Ecija shoot-out

Seriously....I could go on, but I might bore you....

And then we have this....apparently not election related...just 'hate' related..

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines -- Three unidentified armed men waylaid a village chief while he was driving his car on a bridge in Naic town, in the province of Cavite early Tuesday, police said.

Victim Joselito Mutas, 52, the village chief of the village of Sabang, died instantly from several gunshot wounds in the body.

Senior Superintendent Fidel Posadas, Cavite police director, quickly dismissed the killing as election-related.

"This is probably a hate crime because the victim was shot a number of times using at least three kinds of firearms,"he said over the phone.

next election installment...'vote buying'...