Thursday, January 25, 2007 Fierce rivalry in Lapu, Toledo
TWO cities and two municipalities in Cebu are possible areas of concern or hotspots this May 14 elections.
Provincial Election Supervisor Edwin Cadungog said that these are the cities of Lapu-Lapu and Toledo and the towns of Madridejos and Daanbantayan in the north.
Fierce political rivalry is said to exist in the areas.
But Cadungog said that it is still possible that these areas will not be under the Commission on Elections (Comelec) control.
Cadungog explained that if the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) or the Philippine National Police (PNP) will not recommend that these areas be put under Comelec control, then these areas will not be considered as hotspots.
The PNP identified last Tuesday 49 election hotspots all over the country, with the Bicol province topping the list. Police forces will be increased in these areas in the run-up to the elections, the PNP said.
Comelec, the PNP and AFP held a command conference yesterday at Camp Crame to discuss security plans for the upcoming national and local elections on May 14.
“It is possible that a city or town declared as an area of concern last elections will not be declared as such for this election,” said Cadungog.
In a separate interview, Senior Supt. Ronald Roderos, Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 deputy regional director for administration, said that they don’t have a list yet of areas of concern.
Roderos said they have to wait for PRO 7 Director Silverio Alarcio Jr. who attended the command conference with Comelec in Manila.
The transfer of PNP personnel is not allowed starting last Jan. 14 except if a policeman is affiliated by blood or by affinity to a certain candidate.
Likewise, 45 days before the elections no rank promotions will be implemented.
The election gun ban is also in effect.
Senior Supt. Patrocinio Comendador told Sun.Star Cebu that policemen will have to secure clearances from Comelec so they can bring their firearms even if they are off duty.
Commendador also revealed that they already received an order from Comelec for them to conduct checkpoints at least once a day.
As of yesterday, not one candidate has filed his certificate of candidacy at the Comelec provincial office.
Meanwhile, Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno reminded city and municipal councils and provincial boards that starting Feb. 13 up to May 14 this year, they can no longer conduct administrative investigations nor impose preventive suspension orders on local elective officials.
However, such restrictions do not cover cases under investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman.
In a memorandum issued in response to several inquiries, Puno said that under Batasan Pambansa 881 or the Omnibus Election Code, administrative investigations may still be done by city and municipal councils and provincial boards against local elective officials within their respective disciplinary authority from Jan. 14, which is the start of the election period, up to Feb. 12.
Puno noted that these queries were made in connection with Section 62 (c) of the Local Government Code, which provides that “no investigation shall be held within 90 days immediately prior to any local election, and no preventive suspension shall be imposed within the said period.”
Comelec is still cleansing the voters list to rid it of non-qualified voters.
Cadungog also said that they have yet to get back the ballot boxes, which are still with the Presidential Electoral Tribunal because of the electoral protest of former senator Loren Legarda against Vice President Noli de Castro.
Cadungog said that he already coordinated with Comelec Commissioner Resurrecion Borra, who promised him that he will take up the matter with the Comelec en banc. (KNT/With JST/(Sunnex)
