Voters from 557 barangays in Negros Oriental will troop to the polls on Monday to select their barangay officials. The number of election watch list areas in Negros Oriental has more than doubled from 67 to 160 villages as of today, after a series of evaluations conducted in the past weeks.{{more}}
This was revealed Sunday during the final coordinating conference of the Commission on Elections, the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Army and other law enforcement units comprising the provincial Joint Security Control Center.
During the same meeting, provincial election supervisor Eddie Aba, Col. Manuel Luis Ochotorena of the 302nd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army, and PNP provincial director Sr. Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas signed a joint tactical security plan to be adopted in Negros Oriental during the conduct of the Oct. 25 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls.
Officials are saying that the number of election watch list areas had increased after the October 13 deadline for the filing of Certificates of Candidacies.
Of the total, 37 barangays are listed under Category I due to the presence of intense political rivalry, not just in the coming polls, but based on data gleaned from the 2004 and 2007 elections as well.
On the other hand, 123 barangays have been placed Under Category II, primarily due to the presence of the insurgency problem.
Comelec supervisor Eddie Aba said all is set for the holding of the said electoral exercise and so far, they have not come across any major hitches in the preparatory stages.
Official records show that only 40 of the 557 barangays in Negros Oriental have candidates for the position of barangay chairman that are unopposed. (JFP/PNA)
