Senators want Negros Oriental barangay polls postponed

MANILA, Philippines — Episodic violence in Negros Oriental continues despite increased police presence in the aftermath of the assassination of governor Roel Degamo, prompting senators to call on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to place the province under its control and postpone the holding of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections there this October.

At the resumption of the hearing of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, chaired by Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, on the Degamo assassination, Sen. Francis Tolentino urged the Comelec to postpone the elections for at least 30 days in Negros Oriental, given the situation in the province.

Tolentino cited surveys showing people in Region 7 are agreeable to the postponement of the polls.

“This way, the police and the Comelec of Region 7 could concentrate (their attention) in the area, and the village chiefs, councilors and the Sangguniang Kabataan could be chosen freely,” the senator said.

The alleged mastermind of the killing is Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr., who remains in hiding.

Dela Rosa also asked the Comelec to place the province under its control, saying it was not farfetched for violence to erupt.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia told the panel that he was open to the proposal as the poll body has the power to postpone the elections up to 90 days. But the commission would have to hold a public hearing to determine the actual grounds to do so.

Officials from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces supported Tolentino’s proposal.

PNP Region 7 director Police Brig. Gen. Anthony Aberin said a postponement could help allay fears of the populace as he could deploy the majority of his personnel in securing the entire province.

Army Brig. Gen. Leonardo Peña of the Joint Task Force Negros stressed the need for additional troop deployment in Negros Oriental during the conduct of elections in the province, considering that it has a total of 557 barangays.

Kitty Torres, a former staff of the late governor, testified yesterday that her house was strafed at around 1 a.m. last April 21 or a day after the last hearing of the committee.

She said she suspects that the Degamos were behind the attack.

Asked by Dela Rosa why would she be attacked, she said in Filipino: “Because I know a lot of sordid things about them – all of them.”

Pressed by the senator as to who would be behind the strafing, she said: “The Degamos.”

“Because the Teveses and the Degamos are both warlords… I know them well,” Torres said, adding the two clans have “unexplained wealth.”