GENERAL SANTOS CITY — The security situation in South Cotabato remains stable even as eight of the province’s 10 municipalities and lone city were included in the watchlist areas for the May 13 midterm elections.
Dorothy Losa, election officer of the Commission on Elections (Comelec)-South Cotabato, said in a briefing on Tuesday that they have not yet recorded any election-related incident in the area since the start of the local campaign period last March 29.
Losa said they have been regularly coordinating with Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the security preparations and other election-related concerns.
“We’re getting weekly reports from the PNP and AFP and we are clear so far in terms of incidents related to the campaign and the coming elections,” she said.
Losa said eight of the 12 areas in the province are listed under the yellow and orange categories or election areas of concern and election areas of immediate concern for the coming polls. These are Koronadal City and the municipalities of T’boli, Lake Sebu, Surallah, Tupi, Tampakan and Polomolok.
The municipalities of Norala, Sto. Nino and Tampakan were listed under the green category or areas “with no security concern” and considered peaceful and orderly.
Although the Comelec already declared the entire Mindanao under areas of grave concern, Losa said only Banga town was included under that category due to the presence of New People’s Army rebels in the previous elections.
Under Comelec Resolution 10481, localities listed under yellow or areas of concern have reported intense political rivalry and history of election-related incidents in the last two elections while those under orange or areas of immediate concern are facing threats from organized armed groups and other lawless elements.
Red areas or those under grave concern exhibit the combined factors under the yellow and orange categories that might warrant their declaration under Comelec control.
“We don’t have serious problems or threats right now in terms of security and we’re hoping that it will be sustained until the end of the election period,” Losa added.
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