From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Aug 26): 300 villages in E. Visayas tagged ‘areas of concern'
Close to 300 villaged in Eastern Visayas have been identified by the police
as “areas of concern” for the forthcoming barangay (village) and Sangguniang
Kabataan (SK) elections.
The areas of concern refer to those where possible violence could occur,
according to the police.
Inspector Romuel Nacar, media officer of the Philippine National Police
Eastern Visayas (PNP-8) headquarters, said the police identified 292 villages as
areas of concern based on violent incidents that happened in the past barangay
elections.
Nacar added they also listed 70 other villages as having potential for
violence due to the presence of the New People’s Army (NPA).
The areas of concern include 125 of 569 villages in Northern Samar; 32 out
the 1,393 villages in Leyte; 90 of the 951 villages in Samar, and 45 of the 597
villages in Eastern Samar.
NPA presence
On the other hand, the villages that have the presence of the NPA are located
in Samar (36), Northern Samar (20), Eastern Samar (8) and Leyte (6).
No barangay in Southern Leyte and Biliran provinces was identified as area of
concern for the barangay and SK elections.
Chief Supt. Elmer Soria, PNP-8 director, said they had prepared contingency
plans to prevent violence from occurring in the villages identified as areas of
concern and those with the presence of the NPA.
Soria, however, said they would give special attention to Northern Samar,
which has the most number of villages where violence might occur.
“Based on our intelligence, evaluation and assessment, we will send the
special task group to Northern Samar because there are more villages there
considered areas of concern,” he said.
Soria said he had created a special task force headed by Senior Supt. Teodoro
Basa to ensure a peaceful conduct of barangay and SK polls in the province. The
troops that will be deployed to the province will come from the Regional Public
Safety Battalion.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/474217/300-villages-in-e-visayas-tagged-areas-of-concern
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