LEGAZPI CITY — The Police Regional Office (PRO) in Bicol is now placed on full alert status in preparation for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE) on Monday.
PNP Bicol spokesperson Police Senior Inspector Ma. Luisa Calubaquib, in an interview on Monday, said police officers in the region are on full preparations to ensure peaceful elections.
“We are on double effort in preparing all the security plans all over Bicol just to ensure the peaceful election especially in those areas or villages given by the Regional Joint Security Coordinating Council (RJSCC) composed by PNP, Comelec (Commission on Elections) and other law enforcement agencies as election watchlist areas or EWAs,” she said.
Calubaquib said RJSCC data showed that out of the 3,471 villages in Bicol, 1,146 or 30.02 percent were placed under election watchlist areas.
Masbate has the highest number with 368 villages under EWAs, or 66.19 percent out of the 550 total barangay of the province; followed by Albay province with 297 villages, or 41.25 percent of the 720 total barangays.
Sorsogon has 166 EWAs out of total 541 villages, Camarines Sur has 256 out of 1,039, Camarines Norte has 56 out 282, and Naga City with three out of 24 villages.
Catanduanes has zero EWAs out of total 315 villages.
Calubaquib said they are monitoring the situation in Camarines Sur after the reported clash of first district Cong. Rolando Andaya Jr. and former governor Luis Raymund Villafuerte in April at Naga City airport compound in Pili town. (Jorge Hallare/PNA)
