‘Election hotspots’ in W. Visayas remain at 172

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Two weeks before the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE), the Commission on Elections (Comelec)-Region 6 said election areas of concern, or commonly known as election hotspots, remain at 172.

But Atty. Dennis Ausan, Comelec-6 regional director, said that the number of areas will be subject to a review during the Regional Joint Security Coordinating Center (RJSCC) 6 command conference today, Oct. 17.

Tuesday’s conference is deemed as the last meeting among RJSCC members before the election day on Oct. 30.

The number may change if government forces like the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division or the Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 recommend areas to be placed under the list.

It can be noted that the Comelec-led body approved the number during a command conference on Sept. 21.

Out of the watch listed 172 barangays, six are in “Yellow” category (election areas of concern), 163 in “Orange” category (election areas of immediate concern) and 3 in “Red” category (election areas of grave concern).

Iloilo, to include Iloilo City, has the most number of election areas of concern at 93 while Negros Occidental, to include Bacolod City has 51; Capiz with 14; Antique with 12; and Aklan with two.

Guimaras has no election area of concern.

There are 3,879 barangays in Western Visayas that are considered without any election concern.

Areas placed under the yellow category are those that have:

* Occurrence of suspected election-related incident (ERI) in the last two elections provided there was no participation of domestic terror groups;

* Existence of intense partisan political rivalry with no participation of domestic terror groups;

* Possible employment of partisan armed groups by the candidates in the area;

* Occurrence of politically motivated ERI in the current election period provided there is no participation of domestic terror groups; or

* The area has been previously declared under COMELEC Control.

On the other hand, those in the “Orange” category have:

* Combination of two or more factors under Category Yellow; or

* There is serious armed threat posed by the New People’s Army (NPA), Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and rogue elements of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and/or Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and other analogous groups.

Meanwhile, those in the “Red” category have:

* The existence of one (1) or more factors described under Category YELLOW, together with serious armed threats posed by the New People’s Army (NPA), Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and rogue elements of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and/or Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and other analogous groups under Category ORANGE.

* The Category RED classification may warrant the motu-proprio declaration of COMELEC Control

All three barangays under the “Red” category are in Negros Occidental.