BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental governor Eugenio Jose Lacson reminded candidates in the province to avoid acts of violence or intimidation as the campaign for the local election begins today.
Noting that several areas of the province have been classified as election areas of concern, Lacson urged candidates to ensure peaceful polls.
“Let us not be violent and let us respect the May 9 elections,” Lacson said.
He also encouraged local candidates not to resort to “negative campaigning”, pointing out that political opponents today may become allies in the future.
Lacson is set to begin his campaign salvo in Silay City and Escalante City today, while his running-mate Vice Gov. Jeffrey Ferrer will woo voters in his hometown of La Carlota City.
Lacson’s opponent, former Bacolod City administrator Atty. John Orola, meanwhile, is not known where he would begin his campaign salvo.
The election areas of concern in Negros Occidental are the following:
* Red – Candoni, Moises Padilla, Escalate City, and Calatrava
* Orange – Manapla, Silay City, Victorias City, Toboso, Binalbagan, Himamaylan City, Kabankalan City, Hinoba-an, Sipalay City, Isabela, La Castellana, Ilog, and Cauayan
* Yellow – Don Salvador Benedicto
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Resolution No. 10757 established a classification for election areas of concern using colors as codes.
“Yellow” is for “areas of concern” while “Orange” points to “areas of immediate concern”. “Red” is the designation of “areas of grave concern”.
Under Comelec Resolution No. 10757, an area shall be classified as “Yellow” when it has either of the following:
* occurrence of suspected election-related incidents (ERI) in the last two elections provided there was no participation of domestic terror groups
* existence of intention partisan political rivalry with no participation of domestic terror groups
* possible employment of partisan armed groups (PAGs) by candidates in the area
* occurrence of politically-motivated ERI in the current election period, provided there is no participation of domestic terror groups; or
* the area had been previously placed under Comelec control
On the other hand, an area is classified “Orange” if it has:
* a combination of two or more factors in category Yellow
* there is serious armed threats posed by the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG), and/or other threat groups like the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), the Maute Group, and Abu Sayyaf Group, and other analogous threats groups as may be declared by competent authority
An area is deemed “Red” when:
* there is one or more factors described under category Yellow, together with serious armed threats posed by CTG and or other threat groups
* history of/or current intense rivalry among contending parties and such rivalries could motivate people to engage in violent acts
* the area has been previously placed under Comelec control
* incidence of politically-motivated violence involving aspirants / candidates and / or their supporters
* violence facilitated by the employment of PAGs/PN