The highest ranking Philippine Army commander in Negros Oriental said he believes the rebel New People’s Army will take advantage of the upcoming synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in October.
Brig. Gen. Francisco Patrimonio, commander of the 302nd Infantry Brigade based in Tanjay, Negros Oriental, explains that this is because the elections are localized and the insurgents would attempt to have an influence on barangay officials as part of their mass base strengthening.
The local level of the NPA organization would be more interested in the barangay polls as the barangays are their “source of strength” especially by their legal organizations that are in the forefront of community organizing, he said.
The NPA can “consolidate and strengthen their hold of the local population if they can influence the barangay elections where they can get the sympathy of the barangay officials,” Brig. Gen. Patrimonio said.
There are 557 barangays in Negros Oriental that will be electing their new set of officials in October.
Of the total, around 34 barangays are still “under the influence” of the NPA, majority of which are in the 1st and 3rd districts of Negros Oriental, the Army commander said.
Last Friday, the Philippine Army, the Philippine National Police and the Commission on Elections – the agencies that comprise the Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Center in the province -– to begin discussions in line with the barangay and SK elections.
The JPSCC has yet to identify the barangays to be placed under the election watch list areas although these have yet to be verified, Patrimonio added.
Patrimonio, meanwhile, said his troops are ready for deployment during the October polls to assist the PNP in providing security at the voting centers as well as for regular combat duty.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=561430
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