Recent armed clashes in Negros won’t affect May polls – Comelec NIR

The recent clashes between New People’s Army rebel remnants and Army soldiers in Toboso and Cadiz City, will not affect the holding of the May 12 elections in those areas, Atty. Lionel Marco Castillano, regional director of the Commission on Elections for Negros Island Region, on Thursday said.

Castillano said the armed engagements with rebel remnants were government-initiated, as a result of their intensified and focused military operations against the NPA.

He said that not a single candidate, or voters, have been affected by the two encounters, which prompted him to believe that it has no effect to the May 12 elections in those areas.

The March 18 encounter in Brgy. General Luna in Toboso, caused injuries to three Army soldiers, while two top leaders of the Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor died in an encounter last week, with government troopers in Brgy. Caduhaan, Cadiz City.

POLL AREAS OF CONCERN

The poll body, during the Regional Joint Security Control Center (RJSCC) meeting on March 19 held in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental, listed Guihulngan City and La Libertad in Negros Oriental, under the “red category”, or those with serious threat of election related violence, for the May 12 polls.

Castillano, however, said there is no recommendation from the Philippine Army, or Philippine National Police, to place Guihulngan City, under Comelec.

Basay City in Negros Oriental was also placed under orange category, while the remaining local government units are in yellow category, he added.

Orange areas have the combination of election related incidents in the two previous elections, and threats from the NPA, while yellow category have history of election related violence.

Except for Candoni, which falls under the orange category, the remaining 31 LGUs are under green category, or areas with no security concerns.

PNP-NIR ACTIVATION

The COMELEC is banking on the activation of Negros Island Region (NIR) Police Office to get more manpower to secure the May 12 elections, in the newly established Visayas administrative region.

Castillano said they need additional augmentation forces in Negros Oriental.

If the new regional police office is activated on March 27, he said they may utilize the forces of the Bacolod City Police Office and regional mobile force battalion to secure the elections in NIR.

Earlier, P/Col. Joeresty Coronica, Bacolod City Police Office chief, said that they will deploy about 800 police personnel to secure the election in Bacolod.

Castillano said deployment of two police personnel in a polling precinct, is enough.* (EYA)