Majority of the cities and municipalities in Negros Oriental are likely to be placed under yellow category for the May 12 elections, a Commission on Elections (Comelec) official said Feb. 4.
Comelec-Negros Island Region director Lionel Marco Castillano told the Philippine News Agency that 23 of the 25 cities and towns will be under yellow category, while the remaining two will be under orange and red.
“The Provincial Joint Security Control Center (PJSCC), headed by Negros Oriental provincial election supervisor Eddie Aba, is now preparing a recommendation to the Regional JSCC for approval and endorsement to the national level,” Castillano said.
Based on the criteria set by the police, green has no cause for concern, yellow has a history of political unrest, orange is with presence of armed groups, and red is critical or with grave concern that may warrant Comelec control.
The PJSCC, composed of the Comelec, Philippine National Police, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, will meet Friday for the final recommendation and to discuss security concerns.
Castillano, meanwhile, said he is thankful for the arrival of 200 police officers in Negros Oriental over the weekend for deployment to Canlaon City and to perform election duties.
This is the first batch of augmentation force that will assist in disaster response and perform election duties.
Lt. Stephen Polinar, Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office spokesperson, said the 200 officers arrived at Camp Fernandez in Sibulan town, and were presented to Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan, director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas, when he visited the province Feb. 2 for a command conference.
One hundred came from the Regional Mobile Force Battalion while the other 100 were from three cities of Cebu province, Polinar said, adding that half of the augmentation cops will be assigned to Canlaon City, “to assist in disaster relief operations and in preparation for a possible Alert Level 4 scenario.”
Alert Level 4 is expected in case of a major eruption of Mt. Kanlaon, where majority, if not all, of Canlaon City residents will be evacuated.
“The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office had requested for additional police personnel in anticipation of evacuees to be spread out in the towns and cities in the first district with this scenario,” Polinar said.
The other 100 will be deployed to different police stations and assist in the Comelec checkpoints to ensure peace and order leading to the May 12 polls, Polinar added.
Maranan ordered the cops “to enhance police presence in the streets” and “to increase the quick response time in responding to incidents.”
He also directed enhanced operations against private armed groups, illegal drugs, and criminal gangs, Polinar said. ||
