Friday, October 26, 2007 590 Armm villages are poll 'hotspots'
KORONADAL CITY -– Authorities fear election-related violence in nearly 590 villages across the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with the start of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan campaign period.
Armm Police Director Joel Goltiao said 199 villages have been classified as areas of immediate concern in the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Shariff Kabunsuan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao and Basilan.
He added that 383 barangays have been considered as areas of concern.
About 260 villages in the region are difficult to access, but Goltiao assured that elections will push through in these areas on October 29.
Acting Armm Comelec director Michael Abbas said elements of the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines were deployed in various parts of the region to maintain peaceful and orderly elections.
Abbas said they are encouraging the candidates to forge peace covenants to avoid bloodshed during the barangay polls.
He discouraged vote buying practices in the form of cash or rice giving, which is reportedly rampant in past elections in the autonomous region.(BSS)
