Police identify 20 CV towns and cities as possible areas of concern

The Philippine National Police has identified at least 20 municipalities and cities in Central Visayas, especially in Cebu, as possible areas of concern in the coming May election.

Regional police chief Silverio Alarcio Jr. said he presented the list of possible areas of concern in the region to the Commission on Elections during a command conference in Manila the other day. Alarcio added that the list was based on the reported election violence in the previous electoral exercises.

Alarcio, however, refused to reveal the list of the names of the municipalities and cities, explaining only that it is up to the Comelec whether to declare these areas as hot spots.

But he said there is no present violence in these areas, adding that they could not recommend for their declaration as hot spots by the Comelec because they still do not know the personalities running in the coming election.

"Everything is tentative and speculative," Alarcio said over dyLA.

Alarcio said based on their command conference, Central Visayas is one of the regions in the country that has the least number of areas of concern.

Comelec provincial supervisor Edwin Cadungog already said the towns of Madridejos and Daanbantayan and the cities of Toledo and Lapu-Lapu are considered as areas of concern because of previous violence.

A political supporter was shot dead in Daanbantayan while the Madridejos police chief was killed in the last election.

Daanbantayan Mayor Maria Luisa Loot found no basis to consider her town as area of concern, saying that the killing of a political supporter in the last election stemmed from a personal grudge.

Loot, however, said she would welcome if Daanbantayan will be declared as an area of concern because it would mean additional military and police force to maintain peace and order in the town during the election period.

Toledo City Mayor Arlene Zambo also welcomed the Comelec observation although she said there was really no election violence in the city. - Fred P. Languido/LPM