ZAMBOANGA CITY–Security measures are in place for the forthcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections in this city, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said.
Lawyer Stephen Roy Cañete, first district election officer, said on Friday coordination has been made with the military, police and coastguard to ensure the peaceful and orderly conduct of the elections on May 14.
Cañete said the city has no election hotspot but only “areas of concerns.”
Cañete explained that an election hotspot has three categories: presence of armed groups,history of election-related violent incidents and the combination of the first and second categories.
The areas of concerns are those places with special needs like accessibility as in the case in the eight island barangays of this city.
Cañete said they have tapped the assistance of the Philippine Coastguard (PCG) to transport the election materials and Board of Election Inspectors from and to the island barangays.
“We need watercraft to go to the islands,” he said at the sidelines of the 2nd Regional Joint Security meeting in this city Friday.
A total of 3,676 aspirants have filed their certificate of candidacy (COC) for the forth coming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections in this city.
Of the total, 2,401 are vying for the posts of village chairperson and village councilors (Kagawad).
The remaining 1,275 are seeking the post of SK chairperson and SK councilors. (PNA)
