Map of Balamban, Cebu
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Barangay Cansomoroy in Balamban, Cebu has been placed under the yellow category of the election areas of concern for the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on October 30.
This was after a shooting attack happened there that lead to the death of an incumbent barangay councilor identified as 60-year-old Anastacio Pacquiao.
READ: Balamban shooting: Police after riding in tandem behind killing of barangay councilor
Barangay councilor shot dead
Pacquiao, who was running as a village chief in the upcoming elections, was shot dead by a motorcycle-riding gunman and a cohort at around 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 5, 2023, while the victim was riding his motorcycle.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Glenn Hife, chief of Balamban Police Station, told CDN Digital in a phone interview that the barangay had been named as one of the election areas of concern following this incident.
According to Hife, this was done based on the recommendation of the election-related incidents validation committee who verified that the barangay should be placed under the yellow category.
READ: Comelec adopts color-coded tagging of poll hotspots
In the 2018 Barangay and SK elections, the Comelec adopted the color-coded system of identifying election hot spots.
These are green, yellow, orange and red.
Areas that are considered green are generally peaceful while yellow areas are areas with a history of political unrest.
Areas that fall in the orange category are those areas with presence of armed groups and organized movements outside of the law.
Those areas that are under the red category, on the other hand, are really critical areas during the election.
READ: Balamban mayor: No need to put town in ‘Areas of Concern’ for coming polls
Cansomoroy, yellow category
He said that the shooting attack was considered as election-related because it fit one of the parameters which was that it happened during the election period.
Despite this, Hife assured the public that there was no a cause for alarm for residents of the barangay especially with the election day drawing nearer.
“Wala may angay ika-worry ang atong mga residente sa Barangay Cansomoroy. Dili man maapektuhan. Dili sad madisrupt ang electoral process sa Barangay Cansomoroy,” he said.
(Residents in Barangay Cansomoroy need not worry. They won’t be affected. The electoral process in Barangay Cansomoroy would also not be affected.)
READ: Comelec places 242 barangays under ‘red category’ for 2023 BSKE
Intensify Balamban police presence
Hife said that they would be increasing police personnel in the barangay to monitor the safety and security of all residents.
“Ongoing ang [pag-intesify] og police visibility didto. Pag-conduct nato gacheckpoint to pre-empt any untoward incident nga mahitabo didto sa lugar, sa Barangay Cansomoroy,” he said.
([Intensifying] our police visibility there is ongoing. We conducted a checkpoint to pre-empt any untoward incident that will happen there in the area, in Barangay Cansomoroy.)
READ: Police focus on mountain area in Balamban to find killers of brgy councilor
Balamban police: Charges filed vs 2 suspects
Meanwhile, Hife said that they had filed charges of murder for the two alleged suspects behind the killing of Pacquiao on October 10 or five days after the incident.
It can be recalled that the perpetrators were identified as two motorcycle-riding gunmen, who both lived in a mountain barangay in Balamban. One of the alleged suspects also had a pending warrant of arrest for a crime that was previously committed.
He said that as of this writing, they were waiting for the issuance of the warrant or arrest for the alleged suspects who were identified through the testimonies of eyewitnesses.
Hife said that they were continuously conducting a follow-up operation to find the alleged suspects and arrest them for the crime.
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