Comelec declared Sulu as No.17 province ‘Election Hotspot’

Becky D. de Asis

                 

JOLO, Sulu  – Earlier the Comelec declared Sulu as No. 17 and last province under Comelec concern or hotspot area.  

Comelec Officer Jiminez said there are 17 hotspot provinces now all over the Philippines including Sulu because of some related violence reported during the campaign period.

Jiminez added that Comelec have 3 categories in declaring an Intence Political Rivalry or hotspot.

The first category is the Comelec Concern, the second is immediate concern and third is (which is very critical category and it is very alarming) the Comelec in Grieve Concern. 

“These categories would be the pattern of our concern in order to have division of works for the success of the election,” said Jimines.

Meanwhile , Comelec Chairman Sixto S. Brillantes in his message said thru Comelec website the Commission on Election is now on the road towards the May 13 election, the second automated election in the country.

“The Comelec has not been only engaged in instituting vital administrative and electoral reform but also preparing the success of 2013 Polls,” said Brillantes.

Recently, Chairman Brillantes was very irritated about the issue degrading his capability as a Comelec chairman but later adjusted.

Elsewhere, Police Superintendent Antonio J. Freyra said the whole province is included in Comelec concern or hotspot, however, very optimistic his policemen can augment other security forces in different municipalities to protect voters going at the voting precinct to cast their vote.

“I will do my best to have a peaceful election in Sulu,” said Freyra in an interview.

The Sulu has only 1,360 policemen, the 1,260 will be assigned to different voting precinct during election day, while the remaining 100 men will be in the office monitoring the activity outside, said Freyra .

The province has five hotspot municipalities such as Lugus, Panglima Estino, Pangutaran, Omar and Tongkil.

The category is due to a massive election-related violence in the province such as ambush, bombing, encounter and other incidents happened during the campaign period.

After the Comelec declaration, Police Provincial Director Antonio J. Freyra immediately conducted a command conference with all his Chief of Police in order to alarm them about the problem and to look the better solution for a peaceful election.