Friday, January 26, 2007 Palace exec confident on N. Mindanao poll peace
THE office of the Presidential Assistant for Mindanao said it is confident that Northern Mindanao would remain generally peaceful during the duration of the election period in May this year.
Presidential Assistant for Mindanao Pacifico Pupos said this during Thursday's 16th anniversary celebration of the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Northern Mindanao office at Camp Alagar, Lapasan this city.
"I foresee no major trouble here in the region since I am confident that most of the candidates here are professionals and they would abide by the rules of the elections (and won't engage in any violence whatsoever)," Pupos told ABS-CBN Northern Mindanao.
Earlier, Region 10 or Northern Mindanao is among the regions initially identified as "election hotspots" in the country in the coming local and national elections in May.
According to data gathered from the PNP national headquarters in Camp Crame, Northern Mindanao is one of 49 hotspots classified as "election areas of immediate concerns" while the rest are considered "election areas of concern."
Assistant Regional Commissions on Elections (Comelec) Director Carlito Ravelo said he called up a meeting with all city, provincial, and municipal Comelec officials along with the police and military to map out security plans for the elections.
Included in the plans is the campaign waged by the military to discourage candidates from paying so-called "permit to campaign" and "permit to win" fees to the communist New People's Army (NPA) rebels.
Baungon town in Bukidnon province is considered as one of the "election hotspots" in Mindanao and the country.
Former Comelec commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, who figured in the now infamous "Hello Garci" controversy, is running for the town's congressional seat against Baungon Mayor Socorro Acosta.
Also, identified as another potential election hotspot is Valencia City, which witnessed the suspension of its mayor Jose Galario Jr. on administrative irregularities.
The PNP has initially identified on Tuesday at least 613 cities and municipalities as "hotspots" or potential source of violence in the coming senatorial and local elections in May. (Stephen Capillas)
