Comelec's Garcia: List of areas of concern for 2023 BSKE to be updated next week

The Commission on Elections will be releasing an updated list of areas of concern for the 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) by next week, Comelec chairperson George Garcia said Thursday.

“By next week hanggang Miyerkules sapagkat siyempre mula ngayon, almost every week na magbibigay sa atin ng update ang ating Philippine National Police at Armed Forces,” Garcia told reporters in an ambush interview when asked when they will release an updated list of the areas of concern.

(By next week or on Wednesday, we can release an updated list because from now on, the PNP and the AFP will be giving weekly updates.)

On Wednesday, Comelec Commissioner Aimee Ferolino, chairperson of the poll body’s Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Concerns (CBFSC) announced that they have placed 242 barangays under the red category due to security concerns.

This data is based on the evaluations made until September 30.

With this, Garcia explained that areas that were initially placed under the red category may be downgraded to orange, yellow, or green categories or vice versa.

“Nagbabago kasi ang sitwasyon depende sa mga nangyayari,” he said.

(The classifications may still be changed based on the developments on the ground.)

Areas under the yellow category have reported suspected election-related incidents in the last two polls and have intense partisan political rivalry, with candidates possibly employing partisan armed groups. These areas may also have been previously declared under Comelec control.

Orange areas exhibit two or more factors under the yellow category, or a serious armed threat posed by local terrorist groups and other threat groups.

The red category refers to areas with one or more factors described under the yellow category and serious armed threats posed by local terrorist groups.

The 2023 BSKE is slated on October 30. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News