Three people killed as Filipinos vote in village polls

At least three people were killed in the Philippines island of Mindanao on Monday as millions turned out to vote for village leaders. Security forces were on high alert across the country as the long-delayed nationwide vote for more than 336,000 council positions got underway.
While villages are the lowest-level government unit, the council posts are hotly contested because they are used by political parties to cultivate grassroots networks and build a support base for local and general elections. Police officers and soldiers have been deployed to secure polling stations in the villages.
In Manila, voters waited in long lines to cast their ballots at polling stations. The shootout happened during a confrontation between supporters of rival candidates for village captain, police chief said.