FOLLOWING the start of the campaign period for local candidates last Friday, two towns and one city have been tagged by the Provincial Election Office as possible “flash points” given threats to the peace and order situation.

Provincial Elections Officer Reddy Balarbar announced that San Manuel and Balungao towns in the 6th District and Alaminos City in the 1^st District may be placed under close police watch due to the suspected existence of Private Armed Groups (PAGs) or private armies and intense political rivalries in these areas.

In Alaminos, incumbent Mayor Hernani Braganza of the Liberal Party is seeking re-election and he will be up against 1^st District Rep. Arthur Celeste, a candidate of the ruling Lakas-Kampi-CMD.

Meanwhile, Balarbar said while San Carlos City is under the election watch list, the place is not considered a “flash point” because violence is not considered likely to take place despite the killing of then Mayor Julian Resuello during the 2007 campaign.

San Carlos was placed under Commission on Election (Comelec) control immediately after the incident.

Balarbar admitted that the Comelec would be hard pressed should a similar situation arise in any of the towns this year.

“We don’t want that to happen again,” he said, pointing out that if a town is placed under Comelec control, his office will have serious logistical constraints.

Balarbar said he is consulting with municipal and city election officers to determine if there is a need to request for additional police and army troops to avert potential election-related violence in their areas.—LM

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