ILOILO – With just days left before the May 12 polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has raised the alarm over potential election-related disruptions in Iloilo by officially designating eight municipalities as “areas of concern,” citing intense political rivalries and serious armed threats.
Provincial Election Supervisor Atty. Reinier Layson confirmed that the towns of Ajuy, Lemery, and San Dionisio in the 5th District were placed under the “yellow” category for their history of intense partisan competition.
Meanwhile, Badiangan, Janiuay, Alimodian, Maasin, and San Joaquin were classified under the more critical “orange” category due to threats posed by suspected armed groups.
“These classifications are not made lightly. They are based on verified threat assessments and historical patterns of violence and rivalry,” Layson said in a radio interview on May 7.
Under Comelec Resolution No. 11067, the “yellow” category denotes areas with intense political rivalries and possible use of private armed groups, while the orange category indicates a combination of yellow-level factors plus confirmed armed threats from communist or other terrorist groups.
Comelec also tagged Estancia and Sara — also in the 5th District — for “special attention” owing to signs of escalating political tension. Although not formally placed under concern categories, these towns will be closely monitored.
To bolster security, the Comelec has activated both provincial and regional joint security control centers and will coordinate closely with the Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and regional mobile forces. The Commission en banc may also order troop augmentation and police reshuffling if the situation worsens.
“These measures are part of our commitment to ensure peaceful, credible, and orderly elections,” Layson emphasized.
The intensified security posture comes as part of a broader nationwide effort by the Comelec to preempt election-related violence and safeguard democratic processes, especially in historically volatile areas./PN
