PNP submits list of poll hot spots to Comelec

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has submitted to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) a list of potential election hot spots in the 2025 midterm elections.

“We have already submitted the initial list of the potential election areas of concern but only the Comelec can declare these areas,” PNP public information officer Col. Jean Fajardo said over radio dzBB.

Fajardo declined to give a ballpark figure on the number of these hot spots as she explained the list will undergo a validation process of the joint peace and security coordinating council led by the Comelec, PNP and Armed Forces of the Philippines.

“We take caution on giving out numbers. There might be implications to their (Comelec) possible areas of concern,” she explained.

The PNP has adopted a color coding scheme in the identification of election hotspots: green for peaceful areas, yellow for areas of concern, orange for areas of immediate concern and red for areas of grave concern.

Fajardo said the list was based on the records of the 2022 national and local elections. Based on the list, she revealed there are more areas under the green category.

Meanwhile, around 108 are in the red category or areas where there had been a history of violent incidents, intense political rivalry and threats posed by rebel groups.

In the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections last year, two areas, one in Bicol and one in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, were placed under Comelec control due to a possible outbreak of violence.

Fajardo said there will be a reassessment to determine if the areas should remain in the red category for next year’s elections.

The filing of certificates of candidacy has been peaceful so far, according to Fajardo. They are hoping the situation will remain until the last day of the COC filing on Oct. 8.

At least 36,000 police officers are securing the COC filing sites.

After the filing of the COC, the PNP will start reassigning police officers who have relatives running for elective posts in their areas of jurisdiction.

The move, according to Fajardo, ensures that PNP personnel will not influence the outcome of the elections in favor of their relatives.