THE Philippine National Police (PNP) has tagged 44 towns in Eastern Visayas as election watchlist areas in relation to the May 9 elections.
In the list are 15 towns in Samar, 12 towns in Leyte, nine in Northern Samar, seven in Eastern Samar, and one in Biliran.
Senior Superintendent Brigido Unay, chief of the police regional intelligence division, said these places of concern have been consistently included in the past elections.
“These have been categorized as areas of concern because of past and recent election-related violence, presence of private armed groups, intense political rivalry, and insurgency problem,” Unay said.
Calbayog City and all towns within the first legislative district of Samar are included in the areas of concern. These are Almagro, Gandara, Matuguinao, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, Santa Margarita, Santo Niño, Tagapul-an, and Tarangnan.
Outside Samar’s first district identified in the watch list are Hinabangan, Paranas, Pinabacdao, and San Jose de Buan.
The police official declined to disclose the specific areas in Leyte, Biliran, Northern Samar and Eastern Samar, but said the list is the same in 2013.
Listed as hotspots in the last elections are Baybay and Ormoc cities and the towns of Bato, Inopacan, Kananga, Matag-ob, Tabango, San Miguel, Albuera, Burauen, Carigara, and Jaro in Leyte.
In Eastern Samar, the areas included are Arteche, Taft, Can-avid, Dolores, Hernani, General MacArthur, Jipapad and Quinapondan.
In Northern Samar, the towns under the watchlist are Bobon, Catubig, Mapanas, Mondragon, Palapag, San Isidro, Gamay, Las Navas, Lavezares, Lope de Vega, Pambujan, Capul and Victoria.
The only town in Biliran province tagged as watchlist area in the past elections was Kawayan.
The Southern Leyte province was not included in the police areas of concern this year.
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Regional Director Jose Nick Mendros said more policemen will be deployed in these areas to ensure peaceful, orderly, and honest elections.
“More intensified checkpoints will be implemented in these areas to help prevent the occurrence of election-related violence,” he said.
The Comelec, PNP, and the Philippine Army have stepped up security measures for the May 9, 2016 polls, as the election period started Sunday, January 10. (PNA)