No Comelec control of province
PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. has ordered an investigation into reports of rising violence in Abra amid killing of a poll bet as 250 candidates in the Oct. 30 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in the province backed out from the race.
Acorda said the candidates relayed alleged security threats during a recent meeting.
“That number is alarming, so we are having it investigated,” he said.
Acorda said some candidates cited threats to their security.
He said candidates should be able to exercise their right without threat or intimidation.
Despite this, the Commission on Elections said it will not put Abra under its control.
Cordillera police director David K. Peredo Jr. on Oct 24 presided a command conference at Camp Villamor, Bangued to address the situation.
More than 100 police officers were deployed in the province last week to ensure peace and order as the BSK elections near Oct. 30, the poll day.
He ordered police to ensure the situation would be contained and not get out of control.
The Comelec revealed more candidates in the BSK elections in Abra have withdrawn from the race.
As of Oct. 20, a total of 250 BSKE aspirants had withdrawn their candidacies, according to provincial election supervisor Mae Richelle Belmes.
Most of those who quit were candidates in the SK polls who have relatives holding elective positions in the local government, Belmes said.
These candidates want to avoid disqualification in case they win the BSKE, she said.
Belmes said some candidates running for barangay chairman and kagawad who were “forced to quit the race.”
She said without a formal complaint, the poll body could not file a case against anyone who coerced the candidates to withdraw from the BSKE.
The Comelec office in Abra said among those who withdrew from the BSKE were 48 bets for barangay captain, 88 for kagawad, 24 for SK chair and 90 for SK member.
Abra’s capital town Bangued recorded highest number of BSKE candidates who withdrew with 49 followed by Licuaan-Baay with 40 and Tineg with 23.
Of the 27 municipalities in Abra, only three towns –Danglas, Langiden and La Paz – reported no withdrawal from the BSKE.
Forty-eight barangays in the province were recently recommended as election areas of concern due to poll-related violence and intense political rivalry.
Despite withdrawal of over 250 BSK candidates, the Comelec said it would not put the entire province of Abra under its strictest election classification.
Comelec Deputy Executive Director for Operations Rafael Olaño, in interview, said withdrawals, which happened over a few weeks, were not due to security issues but mostly voluntary and came following agreement among community elders.
“We are not seeing the need to put Abra under Comelec control. What we did, together with the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines is to augment forces,” Olaño said.
“That's the entire province of Abra. There were reports of forced withdrawal but when we visited the area, most of them had agreements because they have this custom where candidates are coming before their elders,” he added.
Olaño said in most cases, elders of indigenous people (IP) communities were able to convince candidates to give way and let other BSK bets run unopposed.
Olaño said the Comelec was monitoring areas like Bangued and Bucay to ensure peace before the Monday polls.
To date, less than 10 election-related incidents have been recorded though all have already been resolved.
Still, he said an additional 150 police and military personnel have been deployed to maintain police visibility in the province.
Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia said the regional Comelec and the PNP have the power to implement protocol for orderly conduct of the BSKE.
Under the order, residents cannot go out from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., except for essential workers like call center agents and health personnel, among others.
Gov. Dominic Valera and Vice Gov. Ma. Jocelyn Valera-Bernos earlier urged Oct. 14 deployment of more cops in the province amid rising tension following an encounter between policemen and an armed group in Bucay town.
The armed men reportedly knocked on houses to persuade residents to vote for their candidates.
At least 44 teachers reportedly begged off from serving in the BSKE this Oct. 30.
In Bucay, a man running for the barangay council here was declared dead while being treated at the hospital an hour after he was shot two times by still unidentified gunmen here at Sitio Nagpasinan, Barangay Bangbangcag.
Bucay police said the shooting incident happened around 7 a.m. of Oct. 18.
The victim was identified as Catalino Turalba Sr.,52.
The victim, resident of Barangay Bangbangcag was candidate for barangay kagawad.
Police reported that Turalba was on board his motorcycle headed to Barangay Palaquio of the town.
On his way, two men riding in tandem followed him. One of the suspects shot him two times with a pistol of unidentified caliber.
The victim was rushed to the St Therese Hospital in Talogtog, Dolores town by personnel of 1504th Regional Mobile Force Battalion.
He was later transferred to the Abra Provincial Hospital in Bangued where he was declared dead.
Brig. Gen. Peredo Jr. directed Abra police to guard all exit points of Bucay.
Earlier on Oct. 9 in Bucay, police engaged a group of armed men in a gun battle early morning of Oct. 9 at Sitio Nagsangalan, Barangay Layugan.
According to the police, Bucay police and the 2nd Police Mobile Force Company (PMFC) were conducting mobile patrol.
They chanced upon more than five armed men and a firefight erupted between the two groups.
One of the armed men was wounded in the gunfight. He was later identified as Romnick Balmaceda, a resident of Barangay Calumbaya, Dolores town.
No policeman was hurt. Balmaceda's companions escaped exiting the encounter site through the forested part of the area.
Recovered from the site were two loaded M16 rifles, six rifle magazines with ammunition, 120 pieces of live bullets and 37 spent cartridges. -- --Jun Elias, Stephanie Sevillano, AD and PNA
Acorda said the candidates relayed alleged security threats during a recent meeting.
“That number is alarming, so we are having it investigated,” he said.
Acorda said some candidates cited threats to their security.
He said candidates should be able to exercise their right without threat or intimidation.
Despite this, the Commission on Elections said it will not put Abra under its control.
Cordillera police director David K. Peredo Jr. on Oct 24 presided a command conference at Camp Villamor, Bangued to address the situation.
More than 100 police officers were deployed in the province last week to ensure peace and order as the BSK elections near Oct. 30, the poll day.
He ordered police to ensure the situation would be contained and not get out of control.
The Comelec revealed more candidates in the BSK elections in Abra have withdrawn from the race.
As of Oct. 20, a total of 250 BSKE aspirants had withdrawn their candidacies, according to provincial election supervisor Mae Richelle Belmes.
Most of those who quit were candidates in the SK polls who have relatives holding elective positions in the local government, Belmes said.
These candidates want to avoid disqualification in case they win the BSKE, she said.
Belmes said some candidates running for barangay chairman and kagawad who were “forced to quit the race.”
She said without a formal complaint, the poll body could not file a case against anyone who coerced the candidates to withdraw from the BSKE.
The Comelec office in Abra said among those who withdrew from the BSKE were 48 bets for barangay captain, 88 for kagawad, 24 for SK chair and 90 for SK member.
Abra’s capital town Bangued recorded highest number of BSKE candidates who withdrew with 49 followed by Licuaan-Baay with 40 and Tineg with 23.
Of the 27 municipalities in Abra, only three towns –Danglas, Langiden and La Paz – reported no withdrawal from the BSKE.
Forty-eight barangays in the province were recently recommended as election areas of concern due to poll-related violence and intense political rivalry.
Despite withdrawal of over 250 BSK candidates, the Comelec said it would not put the entire province of Abra under its strictest election classification.
Comelec Deputy Executive Director for Operations Rafael Olaño, in interview, said withdrawals, which happened over a few weeks, were not due to security issues but mostly voluntary and came following agreement among community elders.
“We are not seeing the need to put Abra under Comelec control. What we did, together with the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines is to augment forces,” Olaño said.
“That's the entire province of Abra. There were reports of forced withdrawal but when we visited the area, most of them had agreements because they have this custom where candidates are coming before their elders,” he added.
Olaño said in most cases, elders of indigenous people (IP) communities were able to convince candidates to give way and let other BSK bets run unopposed.
Olaño said the Comelec was monitoring areas like Bangued and Bucay to ensure peace before the Monday polls.
To date, less than 10 election-related incidents have been recorded though all have already been resolved.
Still, he said an additional 150 police and military personnel have been deployed to maintain police visibility in the province.
Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia said the regional Comelec and the PNP have the power to implement protocol for orderly conduct of the BSKE.
Under the order, residents cannot go out from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m., except for essential workers like call center agents and health personnel, among others.
Gov. Dominic Valera and Vice Gov. Ma. Jocelyn Valera-Bernos earlier urged Oct. 14 deployment of more cops in the province amid rising tension following an encounter between policemen and an armed group in Bucay town.
The armed men reportedly knocked on houses to persuade residents to vote for their candidates.
At least 44 teachers reportedly begged off from serving in the BSKE this Oct. 30.
In Bucay, a man running for the barangay council here was declared dead while being treated at the hospital an hour after he was shot two times by still unidentified gunmen here at Sitio Nagpasinan, Barangay Bangbangcag.
Bucay police said the shooting incident happened around 7 a.m. of Oct. 18.
The victim was identified as Catalino Turalba Sr.,52.
The victim, resident of Barangay Bangbangcag was candidate for barangay kagawad.
Police reported that Turalba was on board his motorcycle headed to Barangay Palaquio of the town.
On his way, two men riding in tandem followed him. One of the suspects shot him two times with a pistol of unidentified caliber.
The victim was rushed to the St Therese Hospital in Talogtog, Dolores town by personnel of 1504th Regional Mobile Force Battalion.
He was later transferred to the Abra Provincial Hospital in Bangued where he was declared dead.
Brig. Gen. Peredo Jr. directed Abra police to guard all exit points of Bucay.
Earlier on Oct. 9 in Bucay, police engaged a group of armed men in a gun battle early morning of Oct. 9 at Sitio Nagsangalan, Barangay Layugan.
According to the police, Bucay police and the 2nd Police Mobile Force Company (PMFC) were conducting mobile patrol.
They chanced upon more than five armed men and a firefight erupted between the two groups.
One of the armed men was wounded in the gunfight. He was later identified as Romnick Balmaceda, a resident of Barangay Calumbaya, Dolores town.
No policeman was hurt. Balmaceda's companions escaped exiting the encounter site through the forested part of the area.
Recovered from the site were two loaded M16 rifles, six rifle magazines with ammunition, 120 pieces of live bullets and 37 spent cartridges. -- --Jun Elias, Stephanie Sevillano, AD and PNA
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