In Eastern Visayas PRO-8 identifies 44 towns as poll’s areas of concern

PALO, LEYTE, Philippines – The Police Regional Office-8 had identified a total of 44 towns have been in Eastern Visayas as possible immediate areas of concern in the May 9 elections.

PRO-8 officials issued this announcement during the first Regional Joint Security Control Center Coordinating Conference, attended also by top officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Commission on Elections.

The identification of these towns was part of the PRO-8’s comprehensive and advance preparations for the 2016 elections, and security preparations are now the priority for these areas, mostly in the first district of Samar Province.

The PRO-8 report stated that, of the total areas of concern, 11 towns are in Leyte, one in Biliran Province, one in Ormoc City, seven in Eastern Samar, nine in Northern Samar, and 15 in Samar Province, which was found to have intense political rivalry, cases of election-related violence and presence of private armed groups, or PAGs.

From the same reports, the PRO-8 also identified at least seven PAGs that are now operating in Samar Province: the Montealto, the Montealto breakaway group, the Sta. Margarita group, the Boloboco, the Matuguinao group and the Gandara PAGs, which are now under close monitoring by the police.

The police added that 39 PAG members are now being hunted as fugitives of the law, and two of them were recently arrested.

Police authorities earlier revealed that last year there were 36 killings of reported political leaders in Calbayog City and, only last January 2, a known ally of a prominent politician in that city was shot dead by one, identified as Charlon Ocong.

Chief Superintendent Jose Erwin Villacorte, director of PRO-8, had ordered his men in the field to conduct a sustained police operation targeting PAG members and those of other armed men in the region who will jeopardize the conduct of peaceful and credible elections.

Villacorte on Sunday deployed about 300 policemen to different provinces and cities in the region to ensure that these identified areas of concern will be monitored.

Villacorte said the deployment of troops, the conduct of massive check points, and police visibility will deter people from committing crimes in these areas.

“Napakalaki po ng tulong nito, and I am sure na hindi sila basta-basta gagawa ng krimen. With our many police troops in Samar and the cooperation of our partners in the Philippine Army, killings in Calbayog cannot work out. We will topple down the PAGS in that area,” Villacorte added.

The Comelec in Eastern Visayas is now coordinating with the police and the military for secure and peaceful elections. Also being targeted are about 13,000 loose firearms, and about 158 personalities holding unlicensed guns.

Eastern Visayas has 2,698,000 voters from 3,772 voting centers. (FREEMAN)