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Monday, November 24, 2003
21 brgys in NegOcc tagged election hotspots
By Claudine C. Dumalag
WITH barely six months more to go before judgment time for the presidential race, the provincial police already identified initial 21 barangays as "hotspots" or areas in the province where election-related violence will most likely occur.
The Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office said the hotspot villages are in three cities and two municipalities.
Senior Supt. Vicente Ponteras, provincial police director, said the villages were classified based on the sightings or presence of armed guerillas, especially that of the New People's Army; and on the previous election-related incidents which transpired in the areas.
These are the barangays of Celestino Villacin, V.F. Gustilo, Magsaysay, Jerusalem, Mabini, Andres Bonifacio, and Caduhaan in Cadiz City; Bacong, Binubuhan, Dulao, Mailum in Bago City; and barangays 10, 11, and 20 in Victorias City.
In Isabela, hotspots are barangays Mahilignit, Riverside, San Agustin, Banog-banog, and Kamang-kamang; while in Toboso, Barangays Bandila and Tabun-ac.
Ponteras said he is still waiting for the report of police chiefs on the identified hotspots in their respective areas of responsibility.
He added that he already directed all chiefs of police to coordinate with Col. Jeffrey Sodusta, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade, in keeping an eye on these hotspots.
Ponteras further said they anticipate that several extortion letters will come out from the communist rebels as the presidential election is fast approaching.
But he said that as of this moment, there were no extortion complainants filed by potential candidates or from the sugar planters who support them, against the rebels.
Permit to campaign
Ponteras said they are also expecting that the rebels will activate their permit to campaign for the so-called "political fees", asking for revolutionary taxes from the running candidates to campaign in their areas.
Sodusta earlier announced that Army troopers are willing to escort candidates who wish to campaign especially in the upland areas.
"In the previous elections, we had been receiving complaints from the running candidates, especially in Sipalay City, of giving a certain amount to rebels before entering the area to campaign," Ponteras disclosed.
He also disclosed that starting December 15, they will conduct regular checkpoints in all entry and exit points in the province.
(November 21, 2003 issue)
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