Sunday, January 21, 2007 Poll hotspots in S. Cotabato identified
KORONADAL CITY -- This early, police have already identified three South Cotabato towns as potential hotspots in the coming May elections as names of possible political contenders emerged.
South Cotabato police director Getulio Napeñas identified the possible hotspots as Tampakan, Polomolok, and Surallah.
Napeñas said they placed these towns in the hot list due to past election-related violence.
In 2004, a losing mayoralty bet in Tampakan was shot dead a few months after the elections where Mayor Claudius Barroso, now in his last term, won.
In 2001, the eldest child of Barroso was shot dead at the height of the election campaign.
Intense political rivalries also forced authorities to declare Polomolok and Surallah in the election hotspot list.
Paisal Tanjili, provincial supervisor of the Commission on Elections, said they are working closely with law enforcers to main peace and order in the area.
Tanjili assured they are ready to efficiently hold the elections in the province, considered a bailiwick of the opposition.
Sources said former governor Hilario de Pedro III, who is also a former congressman in the first district of South Cotabato, is looking to regain his congressional seat.
De Pedro has been supporting the Charter change initiatives of the Arroyo administration.
In the gubernatorial post, the political grapevine is still silent on who will run against incumbent Governor Daisy Avance Fuentes, stalwart of the Nationalist People's Coalition. (BSS)
