THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) has identified 403 cities and municipalities as election areas of concerns in connection with this year’s May 12 national and local elections.
In a press briefing at Camp Crame following the opening of the National Election Monitoring Center, Elections commissioner Aimee Ferolino said the areas are classified into three categories – Yellow, Orange and Red.
Ferolino said 188 areas are classified as Yellow, which is raised in areas where there was occurrence of two election-related incidents (ERIs) in the past two elections, existence of intense political rivalry, presence of private armed groups, occurrence of politically-motivated ERIs in the current elections, and was previously placed under Comelec control.
She said 177 areas will be under the Orange category. An area is placed under this category if there is a combination of two or more factors under the Yellow category and there is “serious armed threats” posed by the New People’s Army (NPA) and other threat groups.
The Comelec placed 38 areas under the Red category, or areas where there is existence of one or more factors under the Yellow category, there is serious armed threats from the NPA and other threat groups, and there is a request from government agencies in the said areas to place them under the control of the poll body.
Ferolino said the rest of the country’s 1,239 cities and municipalities are categorized as Green as these areas have “no security concerns or are relatively peaceful and orderly.”
Ferolino said 32 of the 38 areas under the Red category are in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
In the same conference, Comelec chairman George Garcia said some of the Red category areas may be placed under Comelec control.
He also said that the number of cities and municipalities identified as areas of concern may still change as the elections draw near.
“This is a good indication that the number of areas under Green (category) is so high and the number of Red (category) areas is so low,” he said in mixed English and Filipino.
Garcia said that there they have so far received reports of 12 suspected election-related violent incidents, which he said is considered as low compared to the same period in previous elections. He did not give figures, though.
PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil said the PNP has been preparing for the May elections as early as last year, noting their efforts against loose firearms and private armed groups.
PRIVATE ARMED GROUPS
Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said the military is conducting operations to dismantle private armed groups and address the permit to campaign and permit to win schemes of the NPA.
“During the election, our tasking from the Comelec is to deploy troops and assets for election duties. We will assist Comelec in ensuring the safe transport of election materials and protection of election personnel,” he said.
As to soldiers who might moonlight as bodyguards of candidates, Brawner said they have not encountered such problems in past elections.
However, he said the military is closely monitoring the Cafgus who are performing their jobs as militiamen for only 15 days a month.
“The other 15 days of the month, they do their normal job. If they are farmers, they should till their land,” he said, stressing that they are prohibited from moonlighting as bodyguards of candidates.
“We are looking into that, and we are reminding all our unit commanders on the ground to monitor very closely such incidents,” he said.
Brawner said Cafgus who will be found to be working as bodyguards of candidates will be separated from the service.
