BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Only the Commission on Elections (Comelec) can determine whether this city is an election area of concern or not, clarified the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO).
The city’s situation is being monitored by the Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Council which is being led by Comelec, according to Police Lieutenant Colonel Sherlock Gabana, BCPO public information officer.
But there has yet to be an assessment, Gabana said.
The Comelec uses colors to classify election areas of concern:
* green – areas that do not have security concerns and are generally peaceful and orderly
* yellow – areas of concern; these areas have histories of election-related incidents in the last two elections and intense political rivalry; these areas were previously placed under Comelec control
* orange – areas of immediate concern; there is serious armed threat posed by the New People’s Army, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, Abu Sayyaf Group and other lawless elements
* red – areas of grave concern; they exhibit combined factors under the yellow and orange categories that may warrant Comelec control motu proprio
Gabana said Bacolod City has no history of election-related violence or heated confrontation between political parties or candidates.
So far, only Escalante City and Moises Padilla town in Negros Occidental have been identified by the Comelec as possible areas of concern either due to the presence of insurgents or history of election-related violence.
Sources said a third area in the province is being considered as another area of concern./PN
