LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is now closely watching the situation in Masbate after the live-in partner of a Liberal Party re-electionist mayor was shot dead while his councilor-sister was wounded in an attack by motorcycle-riding men in Cebu last Monday morning.
“Personally, I am worried at the seeming silence in Masbate. Whether this could be the proverbial calm before the storm, what we can do is closely monitor the situation,†lawyer Romeo Fortes, Comelec director for the Bicol region, said during the Regional Joint Security Control Center 5 Coordination Conference at Camp General Simeon Ola Tuesday morning.
“We are not ruling out the possibility of placing the entire province under Comelec control,†Fortes said.
“But it will be based on the recommendation of the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army which are in charge of the peace and order situation on the ground,†he added.
According to Fortes, the conference tackled security preparations for the arrival soon of precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines in the region.
Superintendent Renato Bataller, spokesman of the Bicol police, said the body of Crisanta Lauro, live-in partner of Mayor Herminigildo Betonio II, was brought to Pio V. Corpuz town on Tuesday. Wounded in the attack was the mayor’s sister, Councilor Leni Betonio-Eser.
Lauro and Eser were onboard a taxi on their way to Talisay City in Cebu when they were fired at.
Bataller said Senior Superintendent Heriberto Olitoquit, Masbate police director, has coordinated with the Cebu City police who is presently investigating the incident.
Pio V. Corpuz police probers are determining if the shooting is politically motivated after Eser recalled that they were being followed prior to the attack.
The Comelec has identified the Masbate towns of Mobo, Aroroy, Balud, Cataigan, Claveria, Dimasalang, Milagros, Placer, San Fernando, San Pascual, Baleno, Palanas, Balud and Uson as election hotspots.
Nine towns in Masbate are classified under category 1 due to intense political rivalries in these places in past elections, while five others are classified under category 2 due to the presence of New People’s Army rebels.
Masbate has 20 towns, more than half of which are considered poll hotspots, making the province an area of concern in the May midterm elections.
Judge Egmidio Campusano, president of the Masbate Advocates for Peace, earlier asked the Comelec to place the entire province under its control to stop political killings.