• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Philippine Army and Philippine National Police (PNP) are jointly validating the possibility that a municipality in Negros Occidental will be categorized as an “area of concern” for the May 12 national and local elections, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Lionel Marco Castillano, Comelec regional director for Negros Island Region, and PCol. Rainerio de Chavez, police provincial director of Negros Occidental, however, refused to identify the local government unit yet.
Castillano said the Philippine Army raised its concern on such municipality, which will be discussed with the PNP and the Comelec.
The PNP has classified Negros Occidental as “green category” or no election-related concerns for now.
If there are certain developments in such municipality, “we might change the category of that particular area”, he added.
In Negros Oriental, Guihulngan City was placed under red category while Basay City, under orange category because of what had happened in the past elections, Castillano said.
An area placed under yellow category has history of election-related incidents while an area under orange category has serious armed threats.
Red category constitutes serious armed threats and potential Comelec control.
The Comelec official raised the possibility that the yellow category of La Libertad town maybe changed after the arson incident, which involved the New People’s Army and was allegedly linked to a particular candidate.
The category of La Libertad may be upgraded to red, Castillano said.
De Chavez said they have 256 police officers, who compose the Reactionary Standby Force, for deployment in case of emergency situation related to the May 12 elections or Mt. Kanlaon-related activities. | GB
