DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental (PNA) -- Officials of the Commission on Elections, the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army in Negros Oriental comprising the Joint Security Control Center (JSCC) are now validating the final election watch list areas in the province that are to be secured and monitored during the Oct. 25 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls. In last Monday's meeting of the provincial JSCC, it was announced that the latest election watch list areas (EWAS) in Negros Oriental has risen from a previous count of 58 barangays last week to 67 at present. Provincial Police Director, Sr. Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas said 26 of these barangays belong to Category I or barangays that have intense political rivalry and election-related violent incidents based on previous elections in 2004 and 2007. Some 41 barangays, meanwhile, are under Category II, that is, these barangyas have been identified as affected by insurgency - which is a third parameter to consider in tagging election watch list areas. According to Lawas, the number of EWAS rose after the intelligence section, tasked to validate these areas, had recommended additional barangays to be included in the list. The additional barangays are those affected by the insurgency, he added.
The figures, however, may vary in the coming days as some barangays may no longer have any intense political rivalry after October 13, the deadline for the filing of certificates of candidacies of those seeking elective positions, Lawas said. By then, it would be determined whether these barangays that initially fall under the election watch list areas are no longer facing strongly contested positions. The JSCC will then recommend the de-listing of the Category I election watch list barangays once they meet again on October 17 prior to their submission of their joint security plan to the regional JSCC on October 19, Lawas added.
The JSCC is hoping that the COMELEC can come up with a listing of candidates in these barangays by October 14 so that the election watch list areas can be finalized. Lawas also assured that the police and military are closely monitoring partisan armed groups, such as those in Canlaon City and Tanjay City that may be taking active participation in the Oct. 25 elections.
