PNP monitors 3 regions for poll hot spots

MANILA, Philippines — The Bangsamoro region, Caraga and Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos) are being monitored for election hot spots and politicians who might use armed groups to influence the results of the May 9 elections, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said yesterday.

While police have yet to submit a full list of areas considered as poll hot spots, PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos said they saw Caraga and Soccsksargen as areas of concern.

Citing his assessment during a recent visit in these regions, Carlos said there are at least two provinces in Soccsksargen that are being eyed as election hot spots and at least seven “red” hot spots in Caraga.

“I deployed teams of Regional Special Operations Task Group (RSOTG) in these areas immediately,” Carlos said. “Our assessment is continuing. Come April 4, we can see the latest hot spots because we will meet all regional offices to determine the category of each hot spot.”

Last year, the PNP Directorate for Intelligence identified 488 towns and cities as potential election hot spots for this year’s national and local elections.

The PNP has yet to disclose the results of its validation efforts to determine whether these areas can be considered “causes of concern.”

The poll hot spot list has four categories: green, yellow, orange and red.

Green means the area or areas are generally peaceful.  Yellow indicates the existence of intense political rivalry and history of election-related violence in the past two elections.

Orange indicates serious armed threat from communist and Muslim rebels.

Areas under the red category possess the combined factors of the yellow and orange categories, which may warrant the declaration of these areas under Commission on Elections control.

Carlos said the PNP would release its complete data on hot spots once it fully collates all information from the regions.

He said they are also monitoring Bangsamoro and Soccsksargen for politicians who might use private armed groups to influence the results of the local elections.

Carlos said the PNP also deployed RSOTG teams in other areas of concern like Samar.

He said he would visit Bicol this week to assess the situation in the region.