Five towns under tight watch
ELECTION WATCHLIST AREAS
FROM among the 20 towns in Pangasinan placed under the Election Watchlist Areas (EWAs), the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPPO) will keep a closer watch on Bayambang, San Carlos City, Malasiqui, Urbiztondo and Bugallon, during the campaign period and on election day.
Fearing that violence will occur in these towns, P/Supt. Jacky Candelario, PPPO deputy police director, confirmed the five communities will be given top priority in determining the deployment of additional police and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) personnel to conduct joint checkpoints.
The five towns have been tagged as top priority for police security not only for having a history of political violence but for the current intense political rivalry among their candidates seeking posts in this year’s election.
Candelario, speaking during the KBP Forum on Thursday, said the police have increased its checkpoint operations from four to six daily to check the movement of criminals and their firearms along the highways.
The checkpoints, he said, have led to confiscation of both deadly weapons and illegal drugs in possession of motorcyclists flagged down by policemen.
So far, 20 suspects have been found to have been involved in reports of political violence in the 2010 and 2013 elections.
Candelario said, there were some shooting incidents and a few of these even involved barangay captains but none of them were considered as election-related incidents. In fact, he added, no political violence has been recorded so far since the campaign period started January 10 this year.
Meanwhile, Atty. Nathaniel Siaden, newly designated city election officer of Dagupan, is optimistic that Pangasinenses will experience a generally peaceful election.
Siaden pointed to the willingness of most of the candidates in 48 towns and cities of Pangasinan to participate in the signing of peace covenants and the increasing number of unopposed candidates as critical factors.
He cited the recent withdrawal of the candidates for mayor and vice mayor in Dagupan has diffused the tension in the city and made Mayor Belen Fernandez and Vice Mayor Brian Lim unopposed. (Leonardo Micua)
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