Misamis Occidental, Abra town placed under Comelec control

The Commission on Elections has placed Pilar, Abra and the province of Misamis Occidental under its control ahead of Eleksyon 2022 due to security reasons, Comelec Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan said.

The Comelec's decision was prompted by the recommendation of the Regional Joint Security Control Center of Region X composed of Regional Election Director Francisco Pobe, Major General Wilbur Mamawag of the Philippine Army's 4th Infantry Division (4ID) and Major General Generoso Ponio, commander of the Philippine Army's 1st Infantry Division (1ID).

"In line with the security and safety concerns in this elections...the Committee on Ban of Firearms and Security Concerns has placed the province of Misamis Occidental under COMELEC Control," Pangarungan said.

"On the other hand, upon the recommendation of CAR Regional Election Director Ederlino Tabilas and the petition of Mayor Maro Somera on the urgent need to place Pilar, Abra under COMELEC Control, I have affirmatively acted as well," he added.

Pangarungan mentioned that these areas have been riddled with election-related violence as the country is preparing for the May 9 elections.

"The COMELEC will not stand idly by while this is happening...The residents in areas under COMELEC Control should have no apprehension and fear in such a status as the declaration will ensure that there will be clean, honest, peaceful and orderly elections," he said.

"My marching orders to all of you who are present today and those you represent are simple. Go back to basics. Uphold your basic duty, foremost of which is to serve the people. Be loyal to your constitutional mandate as you safeguard the sanctity of the ballot. Protect our polling places and the Board of Election Inspectors," he added.

Meanwhile, the PNP chief Police General Dionardo Carlos ordered Wednesday the immediate relief of the entire personnel of Pilar, Abra municipal police station upon the Comelec recommendation.

“Sa Pilar, Abra, I just texted the regional director si (Police Brigadier) General Roland Lee that effective immediately we will remove all the Pilar, Abra MPS personnel and immediately be replaced. I will be seeing Ronald Lee this afternoon,” Carlos said during a joint press conference with Pangarungan in Camp Crame.

Earlier, the following towns of Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur have been placed under Comelec control:

• Maguindanao
  • Buluan
  • Datu Odin Sinsuat
  • Datu Piang
  • Mangudadatu
  • Pandag
  • Sultan Kudarat

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• Lanao del Sur
  • Marawi City
  • Maguing
  • Tuburan
  • Malabang

Under Comelec Resolution 10757, an area may be placed under Comelec control if it has the following circumstances:

- History of/or current intense rivalry among contending parties. Such rivalries could motivate people to engage in violent acts;

- Incidents of politically-motivated violence involving aspirants/candidates and other supporters;

- Violence may be facilitated by the employment of Private Armed Groups (PAGs); and

- Serious armed threats posed by the Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs), and other threat groups including BIFFs, Abu Sayyaf Group, Maute Group, and other analogous threat groups as may be declared by the competent authority or other paramilitary forces, private armies or identifiable armed bands widely perceived to have committed terrorism, fraud or other election irregularities and threaten or disrupt the holding of free, peaceful, honest, orderly, and credible elections in any political division, subdivision, unit or area.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) previously submitted a list of areas in the country based on the level of threats in connection with the May 9 elections.

Areas were classified into four color-coded categories: green, yellow, orange, and red.

Areas classified as green are considered generally peaceful for the conduct of elections, according to the PNP.

Yellow areas have reported suspected election-related incidents in the past two polls, possible presence of armed groups, and intense political rivalries. Yellow areas are considered “areas of concern.”

Orange areas have a recorded presence of armed groups such as the New People's Army that may interrupt the polls. These are considered “areas of immediate concern.”

Meanwhile, red areas meet the parameters for yellow and orange areas. Security forces will focus on monitoring these areas with a possibility for violence and intense political fights among local candidates. —KG, GMA News