AT least seven cities and 39 towns and municipalities across the country are being monitored by the military and the police after they have been marked as areas where threats or even violence relating to the upcoming elections may occur.
The so-called “election hotspots” or “election watchlist areas” was initially drawn during the meeting of the Commission on Elections last week that was attended by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
The Comelec has deputized agencies of the government, especially the AFP and the PNP, for election duties in the National and Local Elections in May, foremost of which is peace and security-related missions.
According to military spokesman Col. Ramon Zagala, during a meeting last February 8, they identified seven cities and 39 towns and municipalities, “which we see, may have threats in relation to the elections.”
“The Comelec is looking at the cases of violence that happened during the past elections (in these areas), and from there, it will declare together with the PNP and the AFP that these areas should be watched and monitored,” Zagala said last Sunday.
As part of the election preparations, the PNP and AFP have already put up joint or individual checkpoints around the country in order to check the movement of threat groups, including private armed groups and also enforce the Comelec-ordered gun ban.
Zagala did not identify the cities and municipalities, but said they are scattered and most of them are located in Mindanao.
“For the cities, the majority of them are in Mindanao and the rest are in Luzon and Visayas. It’s the same for the municipalities,” he said.
The military spokesman identified the threat groups as private armed groups, lawless groups, criminal syndicates and the New People’s Army, with the latter having been the subject of President Duterte’s order for the military to end it before he leaves office next year.
On Saturday, nine people led by a commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) were killed after they were ambushed by members of an opposing Moro clan in what appeared to be a “rido” or clan war, according to authorities.
The victims led by Pags Mamasainged alias Commander Black Magic of the MILF were onboard two cars when their convoy was waylaid in Guindulungan, Maguindanao by another group, which the military suspect as that of the group of Jordan Mamalintang.
The Army’s 6th Infantry Division said the two groups had figured in firefights in the past, and had stepped in to avert a possible escalation. Additional security forces have also been deployed in the town for security.