ILOILO City – A formidable 21,000-strong security force is being strategically positioned throughout Western Visayas, leaving no stone unturned to secure the conduct of the Oct. 30 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE).
Yesterday, a significant multi-agency ceremony marked the official deployment of these forces, held at the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) parade ground in Camp Gen. Martin Teofilo Delgado in Fort San Pedro here.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) led the sendoff with its regional director, Atty. Dennis Ausan, along with PRO-6 director Brigadier General Sidney Villaflor, Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) commander Major General Marion Sison, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)-Western Visayas commander Commodore Arnaldo M. Lim, and officials from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Region 6 and the Department of Education (DepEd) Region 6.
The breakdown of the security forces deployed across the region until the day after the elections, Oct. 31, is as follows:
* PRO-6 – 12,486 personnel
* 3ID – 6,741 personnel
* BFP – 2,437 personnel
* PCG – 30 personnel
New patrol cars and fire trucks, for more efficient mobility and response to emergencies during the BSKE, were also blessed and turned over yesterday.
Ausan reminded the over 21,000-strong forces to function within the boundaries of the laws and Comelec’s rules and regulations.
The Comelec-6 director said, so far, there has been no election-related violence recorded and has not named targeted areas for enhanced security in the region.
As of this writing, 172 barangays in the region remain as election areas of concern.
Of these, three barangays, all located in Negros Occidental, are stamped with a “red” label, signaling the utmost level of concern.
Meanwhile, 163 barangays are tagged under the “orange” bracket and six under the “yellow” category.
Here is the breakdown of the 163 “orange” designations: Iloilo province – 90 barangays, Negros Occidental – 45 barangays, Capiz – 14 barangays, Antique – 12 barangays, and Aklan – two barangays.
“So far we find no necessity to particularly focus on a particular place,” he said.
Although Ausan clarified that security forces remain on standby in case of re-categorizations.
To understand Comelec’s categorization:
* Green – areas that are considered peaceful and orderly with negligible security concerns
* Yellow – (election areas of concern) as detailed above
* Orange – (election areas of immediate concern) These areas exhibit two or more attributes from the yellow category or have grave armed threats from groups such as the New People’s Army (NPA), Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), and other rogue factions.
* Red – (election areas of grave concern) These are areas that combine one or more characteristics from the yellow category and also face significant threats from groups like the NPA, BIFF, and various rogue elements.
“Violence? Wala, wala tayong may na-record. In fact, the list of the areas of concerned remains the same after we have it reviewed and evaluated by Regional Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Council,” Ausan told media members after the sendoff ceremony.
Ausan confident in achieving successful polls
With these security forces, he told the public to hope for a well-held BSKE.
“‘Yong masasabi ko lang with the Comelec, with the PNP, AFP, PCG, and BFP, and all stakeholders in this election, talagang makakaasa tayo na again will be having a successful election next week,” he said.
Preparations are also in place, he added.
“So far, so good, and we are on the right track in our preparations going into the last week towards Oct. 30. Everything has been practically laid down, and we are just waiting for election day,” he said.
Regarding the preparation of ballot boxes, the Comelec regional director said Western Visayas’ allocation was complete as early as last month.
He added that all non-accountable and accountable forms and supplies had already arrived in the offices of the treasurers who foresee and secure election paraphernalia. Election officers are also in the process of checking the sufficiency and completeness of the paraphernalia.
These election paraphernalia shall only be brought to polling precincts on the election day, except for remote areas with difficult transportation.
Ausan waived the possibility of interchanging official ballots and noted that those would be generic, meaning voters would have to write the names of their choice of candidates.
Premature campaigning complaints
Meanwhile, Ausan said there are around 400 cases of premature campaigning in the region.
Of these, 90 cases have been filed in the Comelec-6 office while 325 cases have been filed through the Task Force Kontra Epal.
“Insofar as Comelec is concerned, we have 90 cases of premature campaigning filed in Region 6. That is on top of what has been filed before the task force directly,” he said.
Of the 90 cases filed at the Comelec-6, eight were recommended to the Comelec central office for filing charges on alleged vote-buying and premature campaigning.
The Comelec-6 expects the decision of its central office on this within the week.
Ausan also reiterated the rules on campaigning as stipulated by Republic Act 9006 or the Fair Election Act and resolutions issued by Comelec implementing that law.
“Any violation of that law or any violation of the resolution of the Commission about that election act will be construed as election offenses. So pag election offenses that are criminal in nature can also be the basis for the initiation of a petition for disqualification,” he reminded.
Monitoring campaign materials
“[Violations pertaining to campaign materials are] not that rampant; in fact, ang feedback sa ibang municipalities ay walang binaklas,” the poll director said.
As per Comelec guidelines, lawful campaign materials should only be posted in common poster areas designated by the Commission or in private places with the consent of private owners.
Lawful election propaganda include:
* pamphlets, leaflets, cards, decals, stickers or other written or printed materials the size of which does not exceed eight and one-half inches in width and 14 inches in length;
* handwritten or printed letters urging voters to vote for or against any particular political party or candidate for public office;
* cloth, paper or cardboard posters whether framed, or posted, with an area not exceeding two feet by three feet, except that, at the site and on the occasion of a public meeting or rally, or in announcing the holding of said meeting or rally, streamers not exceeding three feet by eight feet in size, shall be allowed: Provided, that said streamers may be displayed five days before the date of the meeting or rally and shall be removed within 24 hours after said meeting or rally;
* Paid advertisements in print or broadcast media: Provided, that the advertisements shall follow the requirements set forth in Section 4 of this Act; and
* all other forms of election propaganda not prohibited by the Omnibus Election Code or this Act.
In September, Comelec Executive Director Atty. Teopisto Elnas Jr. issued a memorandum to all regional election directors and provincial election supervisors summarizing the election rules and regulations.
Prohibited election propaganda in common poster areas:
* Billboards, posters, tarpaulins exceeding two feet by three feet
* Campaign materials that violate gender sensitivity, obscene, discriminatory, offensive, and those that violate the Magna Casta for Women
* Posters that do not bear the words “Political advertisements paid for/by __, or the words “Printed free of charge”
* Posters that are “not stand-alone,” having the maximum size or lesser of two feet by three feet, and put together, or side by side to form a collage-like poster exceeding two feet by three feet
* Single letters of names having the maximum size or lesser than two feet by three feet, and then putting them together to form a size exceeding two feet by three feet
* Posters/tarpaulins bearing the photo/picture of the whole slate exceeding two feet by three feet./PN
