ELECTION WATCH LIST AREAS

SIX barangays in Pangasinan have been included in the Election Watch List Areas in Pangasinan for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections due to “intense political rivalries”.

This was revealed by Provincial Elections Supervisor Marino Salas who said the joint monitoring teams by the Commission on Elections, Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines are considering six barangays under the “yellow code” due to perceived intense political rivalries among candidates in the communities.

However, Salas told a KBP Forum that he could not name the six barangays until after the Provincial Joint Security Conference on May 7 in Lingayen validates the findings.

Most of these barangays are in central districts, he said.

During the last Region l Joint Security Conference in April, no election watch list areas and no insurgency problems were identified. There were also no reported sightings of New People’s Army (NPA) rebels even in remote areas in the province at the time.

But a fresh report from both the PNP and AFP reaching the Comelec provincial office last week revealed that the political rivalry is becoming intense in six barangays where “violence may erupt”, said Salas.

As of May 3, both PNP and AFP have “mobilized and deployed” their troops to secure the province for the May 14 elections.

“I told the PNP and AFP before that the political atmosphere will likely change once the candidates filed their COCs. Naging totoo po.  Mayron na pong namo-monitor na mga lugar na umiinit lalo na pag nagsimula na qng campaign”, Salas said.

At the same time, Salas clarified that that none of six incumbent barangay officials of Pangasinan included in the narco list recently released by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency filed certificates of candidacy.

“But in the case of one ex-Kapitan, it was his wife who filed a COC,” Salas said.

He also said that to date, 98 percent of the 434,346 candidates in Pangasinan have taken drug tests and all proved negative of drug use.

The drug tests, he said, were administered with the help of the PNP Crime Laboratory.

He clarified the drug test was a request and not a requirement to further guide the electorate.

Salas called on the people to make the Barangay and SK elections not only peaceful but also drug-free. (Leonardo Micua)

 

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