No election watchlist areas yet in Negros Oriental for 2016 polls

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — Provincial Election Supervisor Eddie Aba disclosed there was still no election watchlist of areas (EWAS) in Negros Oriental for the May 9, 2016 elections.

Aba said he was relying on the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army in the province to make their respective recommendations on which areas shall be included in the watchlist.

He said he will officially convene the Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Council at the start of the election period on January 10, 2016.

Among the parameters for the declaration of EWAS were an area’s previous history of election-related violent incident, hotly contested political positions, and the presence of armed or threat groups, among others.

Aba believed that the 2016 polls in Negros Oriental will be relatively peaceful and orderly although it was still early to say whether he will still be assigned here or transferred elsewhere, like in the 2013 elections when he was moved to Cebu.

Provincial Police director, Senior Superintendent Dionard Carlos, meanwhile, said the next JPSCC meeting in the coming weeks will tackle the EWAS in Negros Oriental, as the military and the police have their respective parameters in classifying areas of security concern.

The months of November and December will be devoted to activities preparatory to the election period, said Carlos.

He also said the shooting to death of a former official of Guihulngan City, Jaime “Popy” Mimis, who was set to file his COC, was still being investigated.

Mimis was shot dead by unknown assailants Thursday evening and was scheduled to file his COC Friday for the position of city councilor under the lineup of former 1st district Representative Jacinto Paras, who will running to regain his previous seat.

Carlos said that, based on evidences gathered by investigators, there were no indicators so far that the killing of Mimis was politically motivated or election-related. — Judy Flores Partlow (FREEMAN)