Philippines Army profiling bets in Negros

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The Philippine Army is now in the process of profiling candidates running for various positions in the May 14 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, in the wake of reports that some of them may have links to the New People’s Army.

Captain Emil Charlie Jaudian, 303rd Infantry Brigade Civil Military Operations chief, said they are expected to complete the profiling of candidates before the campaign period starts a week before the May 14 polls.

There are 23,548 candidates running for the May 14 elections in Negros Occidental. Ninety three of the 662 barangays in Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City, have been categorized as either infiltrated or under the influence of the CPP-NPA.

On the other hand, 62 barangays in Negros Oriental were also categorized by the Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Center of the province as probable hotspots due to sightings of armed rebels in those areas.

Brigadier General Eliezer Losañes, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander who supervises internal security operations in Negros Island, discouraged voters not to vote for candidates linked to communist rebels, saying they will only lead them to perdition.

Negros Occidental Comelec provincial supervisor Jessie Suarez called for increased police and military visibility if necessary in Toboso, Calatrava, Moises Padilla and Isabela towns, where a series of murder incidents the NPA has claimed to be responsible of.

Jaudian said they have initially deployed some troops in these four towns of Negros Occidental, where insurgency-related activities had taken place. He added that they are expecting to complete the deployment of soldiers for election duties, a week before the election.