NO AREA in Bacolod City has been identified as prone to election-related violence for the midterm polls in May, an official of the local Commission on Elections (Comelec) office said on Wednesday, February 27.
Acting Bacolod election registrar Ann Janette Lamban said she was told in a meeting Tuesday, February 26, by Senior Superintendent Henry Biñas, officer-in-charge of Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), that Bacolod is not classified as an election hotspot.
“We discussed the security preparation (for the midterm polls) and we categorized Bacolod under 'code green' which means peaceful or no problem and cause of concern,” Lamban said.
She added this was based on the intelligence monitoring of the BCPO.
Lamban, who assumed her post on February 21, noted that they also discussed the conduct of checkpoint operation in various areas as well as the implementation of Comelec gun ban.
“We will expect a peaceful and orderly election. Though, we should still maintain the peace and order in the city,” Lamban said.
Meanwhile, Lamban reiterated her appeal to all the candidates, both local and national, to observe common poster areas.
“They should use the identified common poster areas to avoid violations. Candidates must also observe the required sizes of their campaign materials, it should not exceed the two by three feet size,” she said.
Comelec earlier identified at least 92 common poster areas in 61 barangays of the city for the May 13 elections.
Most of the identified common poster areas are highway vacant lot, covered court, gymnasium, and near the barangay hall.
Comelec, meanwhile, will hold training and seminar for the members of the electoral board next month.