Comelec to study towns pushed for the watchlist

CEBU, Philippines - The Commission on Elections regional office will conduct further evaluation of the recommendation made by the police to place two cities and eleven municipalities of Cebu province under its election watchlist.

Newly-assumed Commission on Elections-7 Regional Director Dennis Ausan told reporters after a command conference yesterday at the Capitol that his office still conducting further assessment and evaluation of the subject cities and municipalities.

According to Ausan, their office in close coordination with the Philippine National Police and the different law enforcement agencies are closely monitoring these cities and municipalities.

The recommendation of the Philippine National Police-Cebu province disclosed the need to place five municipalities and one city in southern Cebu and six municipalities and one city in northern Cebu under its election watchlist.

Police made the recommendations based on the reported intense political rivalry in these two cities and eleven municipalities.

The towns included in the recommendation in Southern Cebu are Ronda, Dumanjug, Alegria, San Fernando, Dalaguete and Naga City in southern Cebu as well as the towns of Tabuelan, Tuburan, Tudela on Camotes Island, Daanbantayan, Carmen, Madridejos and Bogo City in northern Cebu.

Officials of the Commission on Elections in Cebu, representatives of the police, military and other sectors agreed to recommend putting these areas on the watchlist.

But Ausan said their action will based on the result of the monitoring and further evaluation.

In a meeting last week, Cebu police officials made the recommendation.

Police cited a strafing incident in Tabuelan town on April 5 which involved the barangay captain Julieto Almonacin and the victim, Orlando Almodiel, political leader of the Tabuelan mayoralty candidate.

 It was learned that once the recommendation is approved by the Comelec, policemen will be deployed to these towns and cities

During the meeting, Ausan said they also discussed issues concerning the issues of the computers to be adopted with possible problem to come out during the day of the election.  (FREEMAN NEWS)