AT least 246 barangays in the country are in the “red” category ahead of the October 30 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Elections chairman George Garcia cited a list of areas of concern submitted to the Comelec by the PNP.
“Based on their latest list, there are 246 in the Red category. It turns out that the list is not per municipalities, but are classified per barangays,” said Garcia.
“The number (in the list) can still increase as we approach the elections,” he added.
While unable to disclose the whole list yet, the poll chief was able to cite the location of some barangays that are in the “red” category.
This, he said, include barangays from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, and the provinces of Albay and Samar.
“These are not entire provinces or municipalities. It only covers several barangays in particular municipalities or provinces,” the poll chief clarified.
Garcia said they will refer the matter to the Comelec’s Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Concerns (CBFSC) for evaluation.
Aside from those in the PNP’s list of areas of concern, Garcia said the poll body is also closely monitoring the situation in Socorro, Surigao del Norte.
He said the poll body is prepared to exercise its mandate to place the municipality under Comelec control.
“What is important to the Comelec is to ensure that everybody is able to exercise their right to suffrage. Anytime that the people are unable to freely exercise their rights to vote, the Comelec will have to interfere,” said Garcia.
Aside from the voting process, Garcia said that they are also monitoring if BSKE candidates will be able to freely conduct campaign activities during the campaign period in the areas inhabited by the Socorro Bayanihan Services Inc. (SBSI).
“The Comelec must make sure that everybody is allowed to campaign within the barangay, the territory. If not, then we are not ensuring that equality for everyone,” said Garcia.
To note, the SBSI has established a community for its members in the mountains of Bucas Grande Island in the town of Socorro.
Meanwhile, Comelec – Task Force Anti-Epal Dir. Jose Nick Mendros said they are set to file today disqualification cases against 30 BSKE candidates who have been accused of engaging in premature campaigning.
In a press conference, Mendros said they will the cases before the Comelec Clerk of Court.
“The determination and basis of the petitions to disqualify are based on the answers of respondents on the show cause orders we have issued in the last two weeks,” said Mendros.
He said the initial number would have been higher had it not been for their operational limitations.
“There are others but the constraints of our operations, and the requirements in our rules… We can only come up with 30 cases for tomorrow,” said Mendros.
The Comelec established the task force to combat premature campaigning activities in relation to the conduct of the barangay and youth polls on October 30.
As of September 27, the Comelec said it has issued Show Cause Orders (SCOs) against 2,857 candidates allegedly engaged in early campaigning.
Among those issued SCOs, the Comelec said it has already received 404 answers from candidates.
Garcia said: “By Monday, it (cases) will be raffled to a division. The division will immediately issue the summons requiring answers within three days. With or without an answer, the case will be deemed submitted for resolution.”
With the swift proceedings, he said they are confident that they can disqualify the “epal” candidates before the October 30 polls.
“We can decide as early as the 2nd week of October. This is why I’m almost sure that we will have a decision before October 30,” he said.
At the same time, the Comelec reminded BSKE candidates, especially incumbents, to insulate the forthcoming barangay assemblies from campaigning activities.
In a statement, the Comelec said the proposed conduct of the 2nd Semester Barangay Assembly Days for 2023 by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) is not for election purposes.
“Whether the Barangay Assembly Days are conducted within or outside the campaign period, it must be ensured that it is only for the purpose of discussing the semestral report of the Sangguniang Barangay, and not for the purpose of engaging in any election campaign or partisan political activity, whether directly or indirectly,” said the Comelec.
It said aspirant who will use the activities to promote their candidacies will be “held liable for election offense.”
According to the Comelec, barangay assemblies as provided under the Omnibus Election Code (OEC) and the Local Government Code (LGC) have different purposes.
Under Section 47 of the OEC, the holding of barangay assemblies and candidates’ fora is for the purpose of allowing candidates “to explain to the barangay voters their respective program of administration, their qualifications, and other information that may help enlighten voters in casting their votes.”
On the other hand, the calling of the barangay assembly under Section 397(b) of the LGC is for the purpose of discussing with the residents the activities, finances, and problems affecting the barangay.
The DILG is looking to hold the 2nd Semester Barangay Assembly Days for 2023 on any of the Saturdays and Sundays of October.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Jr. guaranteed the commitment of the defense and military establishments in ensuring the success of the upcoming BSKE.
Teodoro made the assurance after signing a memorandum of agreement, meant to curb vote-buying, with the Comelec’s Committee on Kontra Bigay.
“We pledge to work closely with the Comelec in ensuring that this election is a success,” said Teodoro.
Teodoro signed the MOA with Garcia at Camp Aguinaldo.
The signing was witnessed by Comelec commissioner Ernesto Ferdinand Maceda Jr, the commission-in-charge of the Committee on Kontra Bigay; and Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr.
The Committee on Kontra Bigay aims to combat what the defense department called the “deplorable practice of vote buying.”
Teodoro said vote buying “pollutes democracy”, noting that it influences voters in casting their votes.
After the ceremony, Brawner signed a separate memorandum of agreement with Garcia deputizing the military for the purpose of ensuring free, orderly, and peaceful elections.
Brawner then received a cheque, amounting to P40 million, from the Comelec as support fund for the military’s administrative, operational and logistical needs in the performance of their election-related duties.
On the other hand, the Rizal Province Police Office (PPO) joined the peace covenant signing with BSKE candidates in Angono, Rizal.
Col. Rainerio De Chavez, Rizal PPO officer-in-charge (OIC), along with local police chief Maj. Lauro Moratillo, led the peace cove nant signing at Plaza Rizal in Barangay San Isidro. — With Victor Reyes and Christian Oineza
