Police sets up 31 Comelec checkpoints in poll ‘hotspot’ Samar province

TACLOBAAN CITY, Jan. 13 (PNA) – At least 31 Comelec (Commission on Elections) checkpoints have been set up in Samar province, where many places have been identified by the police as area of concern this election period.

Six of these checkpoints are in Calbayog City, where several election-related killings have been reported since last year, said Samar police provincial director Sr. Supt Rommel Cabagnot.

“Aside from 26 checkpoints in 24 towns and two cities, we have additional five checkpoints in Calbayog City. This is on top of mobile checkpoints in our effort to prevent crimes,” Cabagnot said.

The police official, who was just installed as provincial police chief last month, said that a team of policemen has been patrolling around the city center of Calbayog to step up security in the area.

Calbayog City and all towns within the first legislative district of Samar are included in the police areas of concern this coming elections.

These are Almagro, Gandara, Matuguinao, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, Santa Margarita, Santo Niño, Tagapul-an, Tarangnan.

Outside Samar’s first district, in the elections watch list are Hinabangan, Paranas, Pinabacdao, San Jose de Buan, and Tarangnan.

These areas have been on the list because of past and recent election-related violence, presence of private armed groups, intense political rivalry and insurgency problem.

The police provincial office is also preparing to welcome the 88 members of the Police Special Action Force, who will help secure the hotpots in Samar province during election period.

Samar has 875 policemen with 81 of them are assigned in Calbayog City.

The official assured that policemen are not supporting 6any politician including the allies of Interior and Local Government Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento, who hails from Samar. The cabinet secretary’s brother is running for congress in Samar’s first district.

“We are consistent with our mandate. That is to ensure peace and order without fear or favor,” Cabganot added.

The police are keeping its eye on 131 active members of the private armed groups who are in control of 158 firearms. Authorities are expecting that some politicians will use private armies to harm their opponents and intimidate voters. (PNA)
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Police tags 44 Eastern Visayas towns as election watchlist

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 11 (PNA) – The Philippine National Police (PNP) has tagged 44 towns in Eastern Visayas as election watchlist areas in relation to the May 9 elections.

In the list of areas of concern list are 15 towns in Samar, 12 towns in Leyte, nine in Northern Samar, seven in Eastern Samar, and one in Biliran.

Sr. Supt. Brigido Unay, chief of the police regional intelligence division, said these places of concern have been consistently included in the past elections.

“These have been categorized as areas of concern because of past and recent election-related violence, presence of private armed groups, intense political rivalry and insurgency problem,” Unay said.

Calbayog City and all towns within the first legislative district of Samar are included in the areas of concern. These are Almagro, Gandara, Matuguinao, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, Santa Margarita, Santo Niño, Tagapul-an, Tarangnan.

Outside Samar’s first district identified in the watch list are Hinabangan, Paranas, Pinabacdao, San Jose de Buan, and Tarangnan.

The police official declined to disclose the specific areas in Leyte, Biliran, Northern Samar and Eastern included in the watch list for 2016 polls, but he said the list are the same in 2013.

Listed as hotspots in the last elections are Baybay and Ormoc cities and the towns of Bato, Inopacan, Kananga, Matag-ob, Tabango, San Miguel, Albuera, Burauen, Carigara, and Jaro in Leyte.

In Eastern Samar, these areas are Arteche, Taft, Can-avid, Dolores, Hernani, General MacArthur, Jipapad and Quinapondan.

In Northern Samar, these places are Bobon, Catubig, Mapanas, Mondragon, Palapag, San Isidro, Gamay, Las Navas, Lavezares, Lope de Vega, Pambujan, Capul and Victoria. The only town in Biliran province tagged as watchlist in the past elections was Kawayan.

Only the Southern Leyte province was not included in the police areas of concern this year.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Regional Director Jose Nick Mendros said there will be more deployment of police in these areas to ensure peaceful, orderly, and honest elections.

“More intensified checkpoints will be implemented in these areas to help prevent the occurrence of election-related violence,” Mendros added.

The Comelec, PNP, and the Philippine Army has stepped up security measures for the May 9, 2016 polls with the election period kick off on Sunday. (PNA)
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