East MP towns ‘hotspots’; Comelec alerts PNP, Army

By Gina Dizon

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- The eastern towns of Barlig, Natonin and Paracelis of  this province were identified by the Commission on Elections as “hot spots” as polls are drawing near.

Comelec provincial supervisor Nicasio Jacob alerted  members of the  Philippine National  Police and the  Philippine Army in a press conference here saying that town here have a history of violence the past elections.  

During the May 2010 elections, a PICOS machine was burned at sitio Apalis, Paracelis.

Seven men were arrested with six guns and live rounds of ammo loaded in three vehicles with one of the captured guns registered to Maximo Dalog.

Paracelis also carries a history of ballot snatching through the years and delayed release of election results.

Barlig has no electronic signal in some parts of the town posing problems in electronic transmission of election results.

Jacob advised political party watchers,  media, police  and  the military  force to  accompany members of the  Board of Election Inspectors  in transport of   election results  from polling centers  to municipal canvassing  places to ensure safe  transport of printed  results and  PICOS machines’ memory cards . 

This, apart from electronic transmission of results to ensure immediate transmission of election results to national and municipal canvassing centers.   

In said press conference hosted by the Montanosa Press Club, Jacob reminded candidates to remove oversized posters, and posters in prohibited areas, further reminding the PNP to arrest and charge violators based on Comelec guidelines.

Comelec guidelines provide for 2 x 3 ft size of posters and 3 x 8 ft streamers in headquarters and during rallies.      

Jacob noted illegal posters in prohibited areas even as these were being removed by Comelec personnel. 

He appealed to candidates to remove oversized posters, taking note of the limited number of Comelec personnel with only four in the provincial office and two per municipality.