Campaign period: Peaceful day one

CEBU, Philippines — The first day of campaign period for barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in Central Visayas was peaceful, albeit two barangays in the northwestern town of Tuburan have been placed on the election watchlist.

Atty. Veronico Petalcorin, acting director of the Commission on Elections in Region 7, identified the barangays as Montealegre and Sumon.

Places included in the watchlist are classified in four categories: These include Category 1 or Election Areas of Concern, Category 2 or Election Areas of Immediate Concern, Category 3 or Election Areas of Grave Concern, and Category 4 or Comelec Controlled Areas.

The two barangays in Tuburan are classified under Category 1. They are on the list for having a history of intense rivalry and for presence of private armed groups.

Petalcorin explained that placing places under the watchlist is a long and tedious process, which starts from reports from the city or municipality. The reports are then verified by the police in that city or town before a recommendation is submitted to the provincial police office and, eventually, to the regional police office.

The Regional Joint Security Control Center (RJSCC) monitors the places on the watchlist. The Comelec also ordered more cops and soldiers stationed there.

No untoward incident was reported on the first day of campaign yesterday.

“On the first day of the campaign period, we are happy to say that we have not received any report of conflict or problems that we can regard as a threat to our electoral procedures… There are no violent incidents reported,” Petalcorin said.

The campaign period will end on May 12, two days before the election on May 14.

“So, hopefully, this positive event will continue until the election day… that we can have a peaceful and orderly conduct of the electoral process,” Petalcorin said.

Police Supt. Reyman Tolentin, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office (PRO) – 7, said the police will remain vigilant.

At least 1,000 personnel from city police offices and the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) will be deployed in Cebu and Bohol to secure the campaign period and elections.

“Peaceful ra ta. Wala’y reported incident nga election related as of the moment,” Tolentin said in a text message he sent to The FREEMAN yesterday. — /JMO (FREEMAN)