90 Negros barangays eyed as poll hotspots

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – At least 90 hinterland barangays in Negros Occidental have been identified by the Philippine Army as hotspots in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls slated on Oct. 28.

Col. Jon Aying, commander of the Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade based in Murcia town, said they consider these barangays as election hotspots because of the presence of New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas in these communities.

Twenty of these barangays are tagged as “highly affected” by the communist insurgents.

Majority of the 90 villages are located in the first, fifth and sixth districts of Negros Occidental, he said.

Aying said there is also a possibility that the rebels will support candidates in what they consider as villages under their control.

“We will secure and focus on these areas,” he said.

Aying said the military will concentrate on these election hotspots and areas with difficult terrain, while the police will handle the easily accessible barangays.

Joint police and military teams will also be fielded in every polling precinct on election day, Aying added.

In an insurgency-related development, three communist rebels, including an NPA leader, were arrested by security forces in Sagada, Mt. Province last Monday, the military said.

Capt. Gina Daet, spokesperson of the Armed Forces’ Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom), said the insurgents were apprehended in Sitio Mabbay, Barangay Poblacion.

One of the arrested rebels was identified as Lolita Longuibis, the finance and logistics officer of a guerrilla unit based in Mt. Province.

Daet said Longuibis had six arrest warrants for murder and a P2.05-million bounty for her arrest. Authorities were still validating the identities of Longuibis’ two companions.

Police and military forces also recovered subversive documents, electronic devices and P200,000 in cash from the three rebels who have been turned over to the regional police.

Maj. Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang, Nolcom chief, said their joint operations with the police would continue to ensure peace and development in the region. – With Alexis Romero, Artemio Dumlao