PRO-6 identifies 315 poll hotspots in W. Visayas

CEBU, Philippines - The number of election watchlist of areas (EWAS) in Western Visayas for the 2013 elections has ballooned to 315 barangays, according to the Police Regional Office-6.

Senior Supt. Manuel Felix, PRO-6 deputy director for administration, said that of the number, 89 are classified under election areas of concern and 226 under election areas of immediate concern.

Topping the watchlist is Negros Occidental with 126 barangays, Capiz with 77, Iloilo with 75, Antique with 17, Aklan and Iloilo City with nine each and Bacolod City with two. Guimaras has no barangay hotspot.

Felix explained that the increase of hotspots in the region by 49, compared to previous election, was an offshoot to the new criteria set by Camp Crame on the matter. As such, “sa naging assessment namin, lumubo siya compared sa last election,” he said.

The number of EWAs may either increase or decrease depending on the situation. “Tuloy-tuloy po ang monitoring  sa mga lugar na ito at tayo naman ay gumagawa ng kaukulang hakbang para matugunan ang problema o isyu sa mga EWAs,” Felix said, as he assured the public that the police are doing its best to address the EWAS.

PRO-6’s statistics on EWAs is higher compared to the record of the PNP National Headquarters, pegged only at 508 nationwide. “Sabihin na natin na nag-overestimate kami but we are guided by criteria in tagging a barangay in our watchlist,” Felix said.

Meanwhile, as part of PRO6’s Safe and Fair Elections (SAFE) campaign, five inactive private armed groups are also monitored in Western Visayas. The said number is part of the 68 PAGs nationwide.

“Sinubaybayan ng ating mga intelligence operatives ang mga grupong ito dahil baka gagamitin ulit sila ng iilang politiko sa darating na halalan,” he said, adding that PAGs can only be stricken out of the list if their leaders and majority of their members are neutralized, that is, either arrested or killed in encounters. —(FREEMAN)