BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Negros Occidental has named 12 towns and cities in Negros Occidental as election areas of concern.
Aaccording to Atty. Roberto Salazar, Negros Occidental elections supervisor, “areas of concern” have three categories:
* Category 1 (areas of concern) – have intense political rivalry and have a history of election-related violence
* Category 2 (areas of immediate concern) – have the presence of private armed groups or communist insurgent groups
* Category 3 (areas of grave concern) – combination of Category 1 and Category 2
Comelec identified only one area under Category 1 – the municipality of Don Salvador Benedicto.
Under Category 2, on the other hand, are the towns of Manapla, Toboso, Binalbagan, and Hinoba-an and the cities of Silay, Victorias, Himamaylan, and Kabankalan.
Areas under Category 3 are the towns of Candoni and Moises Padilla, and Escalante City.
Salazar said the areas’ classifications were determined by the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP); their recommendations were then submitted to the Regional Joint Security Control Center in Western Visayas headed by the Comelec regional director, the Police Regional Office 6 director, and the commander of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division.
Previously, only Escalante City and Moises Padilla town were identified as areas of concern./PN
