Negros town named poll ‘hot spot’

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The municipality of EB Magalona has been included among areas in Negros Occidental that are being looked into as probable election hot spots.

This developed as the provincial police removed Escalante City from the list of probable hot spots in connection with the holding of the midterm elections next year.

After the filing of certificates of candidacy last month, the towns of Moises Padilla, Isabela, Toboso, and Don Salvador Benedicto were named probable election hot spots, according to Senior Inspector Aireen Cordua, spokesperson for the Negros Occidental police.

Cordua cited the expected intense political rivalries and reported presence of armed groups in these areas.

During the conduct of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataang (SK) elections this year, authorities tagged 95 villages as election areas of concern.

Cordua said they are  monitoring two private armed groups in the province’s first and fifth  districts.

Although these groups are not active yet, Cordua said there’s a possibility that politicians or poll candidates would hire their services as the election is nearing.

Before the holding of the barangay and SK elections in May, police neutralized a private armed group in Calatrava town.