CEBU, Philippines — At least two barangays in the Province of Cebu are placed under ‘yellow category’ or election area of concern in the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections.
The two barangays, according to Cebu Police Provincial Office spokesperson Major Mariegin Encio, are Barangay Linao in Talisay City and Barangay South Poblacion in San Fernando town.
The police have categorized the Barangay and SK Elections as green category or no security concern; yellow or election area of concern; orange or election area of immediate concern; and red or election area of grave concern.
According to Encio, Cebu Province has 1,066 barangays and of that number, only two of are in the yellow category and the rest are in the green category, meaning there is no security concern.
Encio explained that the two barangays are placed under the ‘yellow category’ due to past election-related incidents and that they will focus on them during the election.
“Ang peace ang order sa Cebu Province manageable and the Cebu Police Provincial Office along with the security forces are on top on this every situation so since we have two we will ensure these two barangays will have a stringent deployment of security in times of election,” said Encio during the Open Line News Forum yesterday.
The official clarified that this does not mean that the area is chaotic as they are just preparing to ensure that the upcoming Barangay and SK Elections on October 30, 2023 will be safe and orderly.
Authorities are doing three activities --which are preparation activities, operation activities (which is the election period) and the post activities.
They are still in preparation activities since the election period has not yet started.
Meanwhile, Police Lt. Col. Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 director, Brigadier General Anthony Aberin, said that the category of election areas of concern is still initial and subject to the approval of the Commission on Elections.
"As far as the Police Regional Office-7 is concerned we have 22 barangays categorized either areas of concern or areas of immediate concern and this is based on previous election incidents throughout Central Visayas," said Pelare. — (FREEMAN)