• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has identified 17 areas of concern in Western Visayas in line with the May 12 national and local elections.
Based on the Comelec data, one area in Region 6 falls under the red category due to serious or grave threats.
Nine are under the orange category (with serious threats) and seven under yellow (with history of election-related incidents), and 116 under green (no security concerns).
The Negros Island Region, which is composed of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor, is not included in the Comelec report of the country’s regional assessment.
It is presumed that Negros Occidental is still included in Western Visayas.
Provincial Elections Supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria earlier said that Negros Occidental is under the green category.
Ananoria also said that the Provincial Joint Security Coordinating Center of Negros Occidental, which is composed of the Comelec, Philippine Army, Philippine National Police (PNP) and Philippine Coast Guard, will be activated on Jan. 11, a day before the start of the election period.
The PNP will impose a nationwide gun ban starting Jan. 12.
Law enforcers will conduct checkpoint operations in strategic locations as part of efforts to secure the polls, PNP spokesperson PBrig. Gen. Jean Fajardo.
Fajardo said as a general rule, only bona fide police, military, and members of government law enforcement agencies in complete uniform and while on official duty are allowed to bear firearms for the entire duration of the election period.
Exemption from the Comelec-imposed firearms prohibition may be secured from the Committee on Ban on Firearms and Security Concerns.
“For those not included in the executive list of exemptions, if they wish to bring firearms outside of their respective residences and places of business, they have to apply for a certificate of authority from Comelec so that they can be exempted,” Fajardo said. | GB
