9 Abra towns under close Comelec watch

BANGUED, Abra -- The Provincial Election Office here is validating the status of nine municipalities in the province that were earlier placed under the yellow category by the Commission on Elections in connection with the May 9, 2022 synchronized national and local elections.
    Provincial election supervisor Ricardo Lampac said that his office received the latest advisory from the poll body informing him of the categorization of the province's 27 towns with respect to the upcoming political exercise.
    Under the Comelec advisory, the towns of Bangued, Dolores, Penarrubia, Pidigan, Tayum, Pilar, San Juan, Lagayan, Tineg and Lagayan had been placed under the yellow category, while the remaining 18 towns have been classified as green areas.
    Areas under the green category are considered to be peaceful and orderly.
    Those under the yellow category are said to have intense political rivalry among politicians while those under the orange category are places with intense political rivalry and have a history of election-related violence.
    The red category for areas with intense political rivalry, history of election-related violence and incidents, and presence of private armed groups.
    Lampac said there are some areas that are not supposed to be in the list of places under the yellow category because the candidates aspiring for some of the elected positions are unopposed while there are some areas that actually do not have the parameter of an intense political rivalry.
    He said that his office will submit recommendations based on the real situation in concerned areas.
    Lampac said the poll body will continue to engage concerned sectors to get their commitment in supporting the conduct of a safe, peaceful, orderly and free elections in the province to send a clear message that the same could be realized with the overall support of the electorate.
    Abra had been classified as an election hotspot because of the presence of numerous election-related violence and incidents that resulted in the killing of politicians and their supporters.
    Lampac said that election officers, in close coordination with the police and military as well as election watchdogs, will continue to exert efforts to achieve the desired peaceful and orderly elections and for the people to be able to express their will in selecting their future leaders by being able to cast their votes on election day.

The poll body, he added, is spearheading the conduct of a series of trainings for the personnel who will be working with the Comelec to ensure their readiness on the operation of the voting and canvassing machines that will be deployed for the conduct of the May polls.