7 La Union towns in poll watchlist

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union, Philippines – Seven municipalities in La Union are being monitored by authorities here for possible political violence in connection with next month’s barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.

Records showed that the towns where election related violence are likely to occur in the upcoming Oct. 25 election are in Tubao, Agoo, Naguilian, Aringay and Bagulin in the second district and the towns of Balaoan of Bacnotan in the first district.

“These areas have intense political rivalries during the past elections. Our basis for the (watch) list this upcoming barangay and SK elections are those with politically-motivated shooting incidents in the last (national) elections. No election related incident yet has been recorded as of this time,” said lawyer Joel Gines, provincial election supervisor.

During the coordinating conference of Task Force HOPE (honest, orderly, peaceful election) Thursday at Camp Diego Silang here, Gines said they already finalized the distribution of troops to secure the areas of concerns.

La Union police director Senior Superintendent Ramon Purugganan told The STAR that they are now implementing strictly the policies and resolution with regard to the election.

“We are now conducting simultaneous checkpoints vigorously and we already confiscated several deadly weapons. We are very particular on motorcycle-riding in tandem,” Purugganan said.

Most commonly used in shooting incidents in the province are suspects riding in tandem a motorcycle.

He said the list of areas of concern in La Union are those with historical records of political violence during the past several elections.

During the May 10, 2010 elections, several shooting incidents involving supporters and escorts of politicians happened in the five towns of the second district. One village chief was killed in Bacnotan while an explosion occurred in Balaoan before the opening of polling precincts.  

Purugganan said he expects the barangay and SK elections would be peaceful and orderly because security preparations are already in place.