62 areas in Negros Oriental tagged as poll hotspots

DUMAGUETE CITY — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the police in Negros Oriental have included 62 barangays in its election watchlist areas (EWAs), a month before the May 14 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.

The number of EWAs identified this year is doubly higher than in 2016, when there were only 34 barangays, records from the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NORPPO) showed.

Barangays placed under the election watchlist are mostly located in northern Negros Oriental, such as in Guihulngan, Canlaon, Bais and Tanjay cities, La Libertad and Pamplona towns.

Some towns in the south, such as Siaton and Sta. Catalina, also have barangays classified as hotspots.

NORPPO Director Senior Superintendent Edwin Portento told GMA News Online that many of the barangays in the watchlist are known bailiwicks of the New People's Army (NPA).

Comelec Negros Oriental election supervisor Eddie Aba, meanwhile, said that 62 is only an initial figure.

"We can only determine the final list once we are finished with the filing of COCs (certificates of candidacy)...," Aba told reporters.

While the election watchlist areas increased this year, police have not yet recorded incidents of gun ban violation since it was implemented on Saturday, April 14.

Aba said that security will be further be tightened in the province for the entire election period.

"Barangay elections are more localized. In most areas in the province, (we are expecting) intense rivalry; practically it would be a contest between two or more families or clans," he said.

Aba also noted that voter turnout during barangay elections is higher compared to the national and local elections, which is also one reason for the tighter security in Negros Oriental.

He said that the Comelec together with the police will continue to hold checkpoints regularly and at random as part of the implementation of the election gun ban.

Meanwhile, a total of 669 hopefuls filed their COCs in the province on the first day of filing last Saturday.

San Jose town has the highest number of filers on the first day, with 14 running for barangay captain and 77 running for barangay councilman.

La Libertad, with seven, had the most filers for SK chairman, while Ayungon, with 12, had the highest number of filers for SK members.

These candidates, along with hundreds of others who will be filing their COCs until Friday, are vying for 4,456 positions in 557 barangays in Negros Oriental. —ALG, GMA News