5 Mindoro towns are poll hot spots

CALAPAN CITY — At least five towns in Mindoro Oriental have been identified as election hot spots because of the presence of communist guerrillas there.

The province is among 36 provinces where the Commission on Elections (Comelec) expects potential election-related violence to occur.

"Based on our records, these five towns have always figured in election-related violence. We are anticipating problems in these areas in the coming political exercise," said Superintendent Romeo Ricardo, provincial police director.

Ricardo said they anticipate New People’s Army rebels to engage in poll-related activities like collecting "campaign fees" from local politicians who wish to visit their "strongholds."

Two northern towns — Puerto Galera and San Teodoro — are emerging as NPA strongholds. Suspected rebels killed the police chief of Puerto Galera recently, and assassinated the San Teodoro mayor in February last year.

Meanwhile, the Lakas-NUCD is fielding Vice Gov. Bartolome Marasigan for governor against Chalie Valencia, wife of Gov. Rodolfo Valencia, who is running under the Liberal Party.

Marasigan’s running mate is lawyer Thaddeus Venturanza, and Valencia’s, former vice governor Pedrito Reyes.

In the first congressional district, Gov. Valencia of LP is facing Lakas-NUCD’s Charity Leviste, wife of incumbent Rep. Renato Leviste.

In the second district, incumbent Rep. Manuel Andaya of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP) is pitted against provincial administrator Alfonso Umali Jr. of LP.

For this city’s mayoral post, the LDP is fielding Ricardo Cortez against Mayor Arnan Panaligan of Lakas-NUCD.