PNP lists “areas of concern” during elections
THE Philippine National Police has so far not declared any area in the Ilocos region under Comelec control in connection with the October 29 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
But Police Regional Director Chief Supt. Leopoldo Bataoil has so far identified 116 barangays in 15 different municipalities of the region as “areas of concern”, mostly in remote locations.
Bataoil said in a news conference in Dagupan on Wednesday that the 116 barangays are now identified as priority areas for deployment by the police during the elections.
“At the moment, it is generally peaceful region-wide and we hope that the conditions will continue to be favorable until the Election Day and after,” he told newsmen at the Dagupan Police Station.
Bataoil added that 67 of the more than 3,000 barangays in the region are considered areas with difficult accessibility and may pose a serious mobilization problem during the elections.
Bataoil explained that all these 67 villages can only be reached by walking for hours, or by riding on horseback or via helicopter, if any would be available.
The PNP personnel in these areas, he said, were instructed to maintain police visibility to preempt possible election violence.
“We will send members of the Regional Mobile Group in these areas should the police chiefs require augmentation of forces,” Bataoil said.
At the same time, Bataoil called on residents in the far-flung barangays to be on alert for possible interference by the CPP-NPA terrorists in the coming polls.
He anticipates the CPP-NPA backing up some candidates and may use threats and intimidation against voters to make them win.—LM
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