Saturday, January 13, 2007 Poll body to list 'areas of concern'
THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) would release on the first week of May the list of "areas of immediate concern" and "areas of concern" or those that would be especially monitored by concerned agencies in line with this year's elections.
Comelec Assistant Regional Director Julius Torres said "areas of immediate concern" are places requiring intense monitoring by the police and the commission while places where election-related violence might happen are considered as "areas of concern".
As per the May 2004 elections, localities that registered various acts of violence included the towns of Bangued, Danglas, La Paz and Tineg in Abra as well as the municipalities of Pasil, Lubuagan, Tanudan and Tinglayan in Kalinga. These towns had history of election-related violence coupled by the presence of private armed groups.
In Kalinga, unknown men ambushed a congressional candidate and his followers in April 2004. The following month, supporters of two mayoral candidates clashed and exchanged gun fires; official ballots were found missing from the Municipal Treasurer's Office (MTO) in Tabuk; a ballot box was also snatched by unidentified men in Barangay Nambalan, also in Tabuk; and one gunshot was heard while the gathering of ballots was being done in Lubuagan.
In Abra, two shooting incidents happened in April 2004 that involved an active political leader in a barangay and an administration supporter. From Dec. 15, 2003 to Feb. 11, 2004, five election-related incidents were also listed.
Torres said the Comelec is doing its best to maintain peace and order in the region during the conduct of elections. Recently, peace agreements were signed in Camp Dangwa, Benguet.
He added that areas with greater possibility of election-related violence need peace agreements, which are either initiated by the Comelec or by the police. The election body is also in charge of personnel movement, thus the formation of special task forces in coordination with the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to monitor areas under Comelec control. (HB/MR/UP Baguio Interns)
