Iloilo’s 10 towns, city poll hotspots

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — The Iloilo Provincial Police Office (IPPO) has included at least 10 towns and one component city in its election watchlist of areas (EWAs) for the 2013 midterm polls.

Under the old parameters, eight towns were considered election “hotspots;” the towns of Tubungan, Igbaras, Miag-ao, Leon, Calinog, Estancia, San Dionisio and San Enrique.

According to Sr. Supt. Gil Lebin, IPPO director, the use of new parameters of EWAs has expanded this list to include the towns of Maasin and Lemery and the city of Passi. “It’s a work in progress. As our assessment continues and as elections near, the number will just go up,” he said.

Under the new parameters for an area to be placed under EWAs, there will be no more classification if a town or city belong to either category 1, 2, or 3. Instead, it will just simply be EWAs. But from three categories, the parameters were broadened into eight, he said.

Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz, Jr., director of Police Regional Office-6, said the parameters are: Occurrence of election-related incident in the last two preceeding elections (2007-2010); unresolved political rivalry; politically-motivated violent incidents before and after the election period; and election-related incidents during the current election period initiated by political rivals and threat groups, among others.

Because of the new parameters, Renato Magbutay, Comelec-6 director, said they are still harmonizing their release on the list of EWAs, with the police and the military in the area synchronizing their records based on the new guidelines. (FREEMAN)