LAPU-LAPU City Mayor Paz Radaza welcomed the possible change of the city’s election hot spot status from the orange category to yellow.
Categorization under yellow means a suspected election-related incident occurred, but there was no participation of “domestic terror groups,” according to a Commission on Elections (Comelec) resolution.
The Comelec resolution stated that an area will be placed under the orange category if there is a serious armed threat posed by rebels and other groups.
Peaceful
Radaza said Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LCPO) officials moved to lower the status after they concluded that the midterm elections in the city will be peaceful.
The decision, however, is not yet final, as LCPO Director Limuel Obon has to present his proposal to his counterparts in the Armed Forces of the Philippines-Central Command.
However, Pajo Barangay Captain Junard “Ahong” Chan is not in favor of this.
He is running for mayor opposite Radaza’s husband Arturo.
Chan alleged that his leaders in the barangays were being harassed by supporters of his political opponents.
He also fears that the police will relax and the city will not receive augmentation from the Police Regional Office 7 after the status is changed.
Chan said a group of armed men had arrived to sabotage the peace in the city as the midterm elections draw near.
He said there were election-related incidents in the past in some villages, including Punta Engaño.
In the 2010 elections, a driver of a candidate running for barangay captain of Punta Engaño died in a shooting incident. (From GCM of SuperBalita Cebu, KAL)