‘Clashes won’t affect polls in Negros Occidental’

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The recent armed encounters between New People’s Army (NPA) rebels and soldiers in Toboso town and Cadiz City in Negros Occidental will not affect the May 12 polls in the region, according to the Commission on Elections.

Comelec Negros Island Region chief Lionel Marco Castillano said the clashes on March 18 in Barangay General Luna in Toboso and the death of two NPA leaders in Cadiz City a week earlier have no bearing on the midterm polls.

Castillano noted that the armed engagements were government-initiated as the military intensified its operations against rebel remnants.

He said not a single candidate or voter was affected by the encounters.

The Comelec earlier listed Guihulngan City and La Libertad town in Negros Oriental under the red category to signify a serious threat of election-related violence.

Castillano said the Comelec is banking on the activation of the Negros Island Region Police Office to secure the May 12 elections, adding that the poll body would need additional augmentation forces in the Oriental side.

84 gun ban violators nabbed

Meanwhile, 84 people were arrested for gun ban violation in Western Visayas from Jan. 12 to March 18.

Authorities seized 90 firearms, explosives and gun replicas during various checkpoint operations in the region.

In a report, the Police Regional Office 6 said 24 of those arrested were from Negros Occidental, including the nine nabbed by the Bacolod City Police Office.

Both the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office and Bacolod City Police Office are still under the supervision of PRO 6, pending the activation of the Negros Island Region Police Office.

According to the report, the Iloilo Police Provincial Office arrested 19 violators, followed by the Capiz PPO (14), Iloilo City Police Office (5), Aklan PPO (4) and three each for the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 6 and the Guimaras and Antique PPOs.