ILOILO – Eight towns in this province have been classified as “areas of concern” by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) ahead of the May 12 national and local elections.
These areas have been flagged due to heightened political rivalry and the threat of armed insurgency, including risks posed by the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) and the Revolutionary Proletarian Army – Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB).
While the exact towns are yet to be publicly disclosed, Atty. Reinier Layson, provincial election supervisor for Comelec-Iloilo, confirmed that these eight municipalities meet the criteria for inclusion in the “areas of concern” category.
Layson said the final list and categorization will be released in the coming days by Comelec chairman George Erwin Garcia.
“Three of these towns are primarily affected by intense political rivalry, while five face serious threats from armed groups,” Layson explained.
This classification was finalized following a series of technical working group meetings between Comelec and IPPO, ensuring that the towns met specific security parameters.
In response to these threats, outgoing IPPO director Police Colonel Bayani Razalan emphasized that special security measures, including the deployment of quick response teams, are in place for these areas.
“We have a strategic deployment plan for the towns impacted by armed groups and political rivalry. Our teams are ready to respond swiftly to any incidents that may arise before or during the election,” said Razalan.
Despite the increased security concerns, Razalan reassured the public that no significant election-related violence has been reported thus far, except for minor incidents like the covering of candidates’ campaign materials, which the IPPO is actively resolving through dialogue.
As the elections draw near, IPPO is intensifying its monitoring efforts across the province, focusing on areas with potential risks.
“We are closely monitoring the situation to ensure peace and order, especially with the impending threats from insurgent groups,” Razalan added.
He also highlighted ongoing operations, such as the service of search warrants for illegal firearms, to further enhance security in the region.
The “areas of concern” classification follows the guidelines set by Comelec Resolution No. 11067, which categorizes areas into green, yellow, orange, and red zones based on security risks.
Green Category
* Area with no security concerns or is relatively peaceful and orderly.
Yellow Category
* Occurrence of suspected election-related incident (ERI) in the last two elections provided there was no participation of domestic terror groups.
* Existence of intense partisan political rivalry with no participation of domestic terror groups.
* Possible employment of Private Armed Groups (PAGs) or potential PAGs by candidates in the area.
* Occurrence of politically motivated ERI in the current election period provided there is no participation of domestic terror groups.
* Area has been previously declared under Comelec control.
The Commission En Banc, among others, may direct the augmentation of Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP), personnel as the need arises.
Orange Category
* Combination of two or more factors under Category Yellow.
* Serious armed threat posed by Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs) and/or other threat groups as may be declared by the competent authority.
The Commission En Banc, among others, may direct the augmentation of AFP and Philippine National Police PNP, as the need arises, and reshuffle the police force in such areas.
Red Category
* Existence of one or more factors describe under Yellow Category, together with serious armed threats posed by the CTGs and/or other threat groups as may be declared by the competent authority under Category Orange.
* Declaration by other government agencies, concerned that either one of the grounds for the declaration of Comelec control exists./PN
