10 Metro cities may end up in poll watchlist

MANILA, Philippines - The Armed Forces of the Philippines National Capital Region Command (AFP-NCRCOM) said yesterday it is closely monitoring 10 areas in Metro Manila that may be included in the elections watchlist due to previous violent incidents.Mgen. Reynaldo Mapagu, NCRCOM commander, said these areas have witnessed intense political rivalry during 2004 and 2007 polls, which resulted in election-related crimes.

“These are the areas with political rivalries. Incidents of election-related violence were recorded in these areas during the past elections. We are continuously validating to see if these would be included in the election watch list,” he told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo.

Mapagu said these cities – Manila, Pasay, Pasig Malabon, Caloocan, Quezon City, Makati, Valenzuela, Marikina, and Parañaque – may be placed in what they termed as Category 1 or places where there is intense rivalry.

Category 2 includes areas with armed groups like private armies and the New People’s Army. “There are no armed groups in the areas under our jurisdiction,” Mapagu said. The NCRCOM covers 16 cities, one municipality, and 1,695 barangays with a total population of around 12 million.

The NCRCOM vowed to work closely with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to ensure a safe and orderly conduct of polls in their area of jurisdiction.

“We will coordinate with the Comelec and the PNP…We are helping PNP in conduct of checkpoints. We have so far established 51 checkpoints. We are in direct contact with the NCRPO (National Capital Region Police Office) in relation to security of metropolis,” said NCRCOM operations officer Col. James Joven.

“There has been increasing visibility of our men within the metropolis,” he added.

Col. Rafael Valencia, chief of the unified command, said around 100 individuals have requested for security detail including businessmen and politicians. He said these individuals will have to secure approval from the Comelec and the PNP before they are granted.