Top military and police officials declassified an intelligence report showing that the local communist terrorist New People's Army (NPA) has fielded its own men to run for barangay chairman and councilman in the barangay elections in Region 1 this October 28.
Senior Supt. Sterling Raymund Blanco, chief of the regional intelligence division of the Region 1 police, said in a briefing Friday afternoon at Camp Florendo that at least 23 NPA members are being monitored to be running in the barangay polls in the provinces of Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte and La Union.
Blanco said some of these NPA members are even incumbent barangay officials.
Aware of the NPA plan to take advantage of the barangay elections, either to penetrate the local government or stage terrorism activities, police and military officials have prepared a tight security plan to prevent any untoward incident during the election period.
Chief Supt. Ricardo Marquez, Region 1 police director, said the strengthened security in the four provinces will be in effect during and after the elections.
“We have come up with security plan before and after the elections to ensure our peace and order situation,” Marquez said, adding that the Army and the Navy have joined the police in these preparations.
Meanwhile, Col. Vic Castro of the 72nd Infantry Brigade said they will be on alert during the election to help policemen prevent any attack by the rebels.
“The NPA might take advantage of the election period because this is the best time to stage ambush or any kind of sabotage of facilities, including vital installations,” Castro stressed.
The police and military together with the poll body have identified 171 barangays in Region 1 as election areas of concern. At the same time, they also put on watch at least 14 criminal gangs and two private armed groups.
For his part, Atty. Noli Pipo, Comelec regional director, asked for tight security of election personnel and teachers to avoid any untoward incident while they are performing their election duties.
“We all know that there is tension, intense political rivalries in the barangay level because those contesting are relatives, families, friends and neighbors,” Pipo said.
Overall, Pipo expressed confidence that elections in Region 1 would be peaceful and orderly.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=577945
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