The Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) is set to deploy more personnel in areas which will be identified as election “hotspots” as part of efforts to boost security measures for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls.
Bohol Commission on Elections (Comelec) supervisor Elisio Labaria said that they recommended to place 18 villages under the election watchlist areas (EWA) during a command conference of the Provincial Joint Security Coordinating Council on Friday.
The Comelec recommended to include the following barangays in the poll watchlist:
First District:
- Macaas, Tubigon
Second District:
- Bantuan, Buenavista
- Cawag, Buenavista
- Bonot-Bonot, Buenavista
- Baluarte, Buenavista
- Nueva Montaña, Buenavista
- Mataub, Clarin
- Bonbon, Clarin
- Cabatuan, Danao
- Cagawitan, Dagohoy
- Mahayag, Dahoy
- Ilaud, Inabanga
- Cuaming, Inabanga
- Banahaw, Inabanga
- Achila, Ubay
Third District:
- Cabacnitan, Batuan
- Poblacion, Bilar
- Cagawasan, Pilar
According to Labaria, the said villages were pinpointed as possible “hotspots” due to the possibility of hotly contested polls and the history of conflict in the areas.
The EWA list however will still have to be approved by the Regional Joint Security Coordinating Council.
Deployment of police forces will be focused on areas which will be included in the final list, Labaria said.
For his part, BPPO director Sr. Supt. Angeles Geñorga, Jr. ordered all of Bohol’s 48 chiefs of police to identify other villages which would likely qualify to be part of the EWA.
Meanwhile, the nine-day campaign period for the elections started on Friday.
Candidates will be allowed to campaign until two days before the polls on May 14, while the official election period will be until a week after Election Day.
The Comelec gun ban will be in effect for the entire duration of the election period. (Rey Tutas)