ILOILO City – Forty-four towns and cities in Western Visayas have been identified as election areas of concern by the Regional Joint Security Coordinating Center (RJSCC).
This could change, however, as the May 9 synchronized national and local elections draw near.
“Bantayan naton if mag-start na ang local election campaign period on March 25,” said Police Lieutenant Colonel Arnel Solis, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6).
The PRO-6 is a member of the RJSCC.
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Resolution No. 10757 has established a classification for election areas of concern using colors as codes.
“Green” is for areas with no security concerns or are relatively peaceful and orderly. “Yellow” is for “areas of concern” while “Orange” points to “areas of immediate concern”. “Red” is the designation of “areas of grave concern”.
The RJSCC list of election hotspots included four “Yellow” areas, 35 “Orange” areas and five “Red” areas.
Here are the listed towns and cities:
* Red – Calinog in Iloilo province; Candoni, Moises Padilla, Escalate City, and Calatrava in Negros Occidental
* Orange – Bingawan, Lambunao, Maasin, Janiuay, Alimodian, San Joaquin, Tubungan, Miag-ao, Igbaras, Leon, Lemery, San Dionisio, and Sara in Iloilo province; Maayon, Dumalag and Tapaz in Capiz; Manapla, Silay City, Victorias City, Toboso, Binalbagan, Himamaylan City, Kabankalan City, Hinoba-an, Sipalay City, Isabela, La Castellana, Ilog, and Cauayan in Negros Occidental; Libacao in Aklan; and Hamtic, Sibalom, San Remigio, Culasi, and Sebaste in Antique
* Yellow – Don Salvador Benedicto and Bacolod City in Negros Occidental; Laua-an in Antique; and Pilar in Capiz
Towns and cities not in these three color categories are deemed classified as “Green” areas.
Under Comelec Resolution No. 10757, an area shall be classified as “Yellow” when it has either of the following:
* occurrence of suspected election-related incidents (ERI) in the last two elections provided there was no participation of domestic terror groups
* existence of intention partisan political rivalry with no participation of domestic terror groups
* possible employment of partisan armed groups (PAGs) by 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 had been previously placed under Comelec control
On the other hand, an area is classified “Orange” if it has:
* a combination of two or more factors in category Yellow
* there is serious armed threats posed by the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG), and/or other threat groups like the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), the Maute Group, and Abu Sayyaf Group, and other analogous threats groups as may be declared by competent authority
An area is deemed “Red” when:
* there is one or more factors described under category Yellow, together with serious armed threats posed by CTG and or other threat groups
* history of/or current intense rivalry among contending parties and such rivalries could motivate people to engage in violent acts
* the area has been previously placed under Comelec control
* incidence of politically-motivated violence involving aspirants / candidates and / or their supporters
* violence facilitated by the employment of PAGs/PN
