THIRTEEN more barangays in the province of Cebu are now being recommended by the Philippine National Police (PNP) for inclusion in the Election Watchlist Areas (EWAs) of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) ahead of the May 14 village polls.
Among those being endorsed due to intense political rivalry are five additional barangays from Tuburan, three from Bogo, three from Daanbantayan, one from Medellin and another one from Tabogon — all in the northern part of the province.
Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) Director Edgar Alan Okubo however, declined to name the villages being recommended by his agency to avoid initiating false alarm and causing undue disturbance in said barangays.
“These will be further discussed and validated [in our] conference [on] May 4,” Okubo said.
If the recommendations will be approved, Okubo said, “Pagtutulungan ng AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) at ng PNP ito kung paano ma-deployan ng additional troops. (AFP and PNP will join forces on how we should deploy additional troops.)”
Okubo also said that the signing of a peace covenant among the candidates of the barangays in the Comelec EWAs will be pursued to ensure a peaceful, non-partisan, clean and honest polls.
The director said that a candidate’s sincerity in pursuing a peaceful election will be gauged if he/she would sign the covenant.
Okubo also brushed aside concerns on the possible eruption of violence caused by armed groups.
He cited field reports reaching his office that so called armed groups were already neutralized.
The PNP, however, remains ready to deal with conflicts brought about by armed groups in the upcoming village polls, Okubo added. / PIT AB Comm Intern, Marthy John Lubiano