IPPO: No immediate need to tag Ajuy as election hotspot, for now

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Ajuy town in Iloilo might not yet be categorized as an election area of concern (EWA), or “hotspot,” based on current parameters.

In declaring an area under the EWAs list, the guidelines set by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) must be used as the basis.

“For now, Ajuy doesn’t seem to meet the criteria,” said Colonel Bayani Razalan, director of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO).

However, Razalan clarified that the decision to place a town or city under EWAs rests with the Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Committee.

It was reported that the Philippine National Police (PNP) is using the parameters from the last election to determine election “hotspots.”

Under these guidelines, towns or cities are placed under Category 1, or Yellow classification, if any of the following factors exist:

• A history of or current intense political rivalry among contending parties, which could motivate people to engage in violent acts.
• The presence of private armed groups (PAGs) that have been or can be utilized by candidates in the area, supported by loose firearms and gun-for-hire gangs.
• A validated election-related incident (ERI) occurred in the 2016 national and local elections, without involvement from domestic terrorist groups.
• Suspected politically motivated violent incidents involving elected government officials (EGOs), aspirants, or supporters from January 2018 to the present, including those who filed certificates of candidacy (COCs) until the start of the election period.
• Politically motivated ERIs occurring during the current election period, provided there is no participation from domestic terrorist groups.
• Validated reports of candidates involved with illegal drug groups, where such support is likely to lead to election violence.
• Areas previously declared under COMELEC control during the last election.

Towns or cities are placed under Category 2, or election areas of immediate concern, if two or more of the above factors exist or if there is a presence of the following:

• Serious armed threats from communist terrorist groups (such as the New People’s Army), or local terrorist groups (such as the BIFF, ASG, AKP, or rogue elements of the MNLF/MILF) and other similar groups.
• Reports of “permit to win” or “permit to campaign” schemes by communist terrorist groups or extortion by local terrorist groups.
• Reports of candidates supported by these groups.

A town or city is considered a Red area if factors under both Category 1 and Category 2 exist.

Reports indicate that Mayor Jett Rojas of Ajuy communicated with the COMELEC Iloilo provincial office, requesting the town be placed under the EWAs list.

Atty. Reinier Layson, COMELEC’s Iloilo provincial supervisor, said he had not yet responded to Rojas’ request, which cited intense political rivalry as the reason.

Rojas is expected to run for vice mayor alongside current Sangguniang Bayan Member Loida Espinosa, who will seek the mayoralty post.

Espinosa is expected to run against her cousin, 5th District Board Member Carol V. Espinosa-Diaz.

Recently, Espinosa-Diaz claimed there were “armed men” in the town with their faces concealed. She reportedly asked Razalan to investigate.

When asked who hired the men, Espinosa-Diaz said they pointed to Rojas.

However, Rojas dismissed reports of unidentified armed men roaming Ajuy as fake news.

He said the “armed men” seen during the opening parade for the Ajuy town fiesta were licensed security guards from a Metro Manila-based agency.

The security company is owned by an Ajuy native who later moved to Negros province.

Rojas said the guards were invited to participate in the fiesta celebration because the owner has helped Ajuy residents.

The firm allegedly deployed security personnel for fiesta-related activities.