Iloilo Police, Comelec to Verify Poll Hotspots

By Jennifer P. Rendon

The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) – Iloilo Province have yet to verify the list of election areas of concern (EACs) or poll hotspots earlier released by the Comelec central office.

Colonel Bayani Razalan, Iloilo police chief, said they will hold a small-group meeting to assess whether the towns listed under the EACs should remain or be removed.

Out of 42 municipalities and one component city in Iloilo, nine areas have been tagged as election hotspots.

“So, pwede pang may idagdag o mabawasan (some may be added or removed),” Razalan said.

According to the current classification:

• 34 towns are under the Green category.
• Three municipalities—Ajuy, Lemery, and San Dionisio—are under the Yellow category.
• Five towns—Badiangan, Janiuay, Leon, Maasin, and San Joaquin—are in the Orange category.
• One municipality, Calinog, is classified under the Red category.

The Green category includes areas with no security concerns.

A Yellow category or area of immediate concern includes areas with:

• Suspected election-related incidents (ERI) in the last two elections, provided there was no involvement of domestic terror groups.
• Intense political rivalry without participation of armed groups.
• Potential employment of partisan armed groups by candidates.
• Politically motivated ERI in the current election period, provided no terror groups were involved.
• A history of being placed under Comelec Control.

The Orange category or area of concern includes areas with:

• A combination of two or more factors under the Yellow category.
• A serious armed threat from groups such as the New People’s Army (NPA), Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), rogue elements of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), or other similar groups.

The Red category is designated for areas where:

• One or more factors under the Yellow category exist.
• There is a serious armed threat from domestic terror groups similar to those listed in the Orange category.

Areas classified under Red may be subject to a Comelec Control declaration if deemed necessary.