COTABATO CITY — The first day of the election period on Saturday for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls in this city and neighboring North Cotabato province was peaceful.
“No reported untoward incident related to the first day of filing of certificates of candidacy,” Senior Supt. Rolly Octavio, Cotabato City police director, said on Sunday.
Both police and election officials here believe it will be as peaceful for the duration of the twin political exercises.
A police team, backed by Army Special Forces personnel, was deployed in the city’s Commission on Elections (Comelec) office and along the roads leading to the poll body’s office here.
“We expect the atmosphere to be as peaceful until the election period is over,” Octavio said.
No specific village in the city’s 37 barangays are under close watch by the poll body and the existence of intense political rivalry is being assessed on a regular basis, he said.
Supt. Bernard Tayong, provincial police spokesperson, said no election-related violence has been reported in the past 24 hours in North Cotabato’s 17 municipalities and in Kidapawan City.
The Comelec and the PNP are closely watching about 20 villages most likely to be considered as “areas of concern” in this year’s elections.
These villages are in the towns of Pikit, Midsayap and Pigcawayn.
Eleven villages in Pikit, 10 in Midsayap and about six villages in Pigcawayan are being regularly assessed and may be placed under “areas of concern” as the election period progresses, said lawyer Duque Kadatuan, North Cotabato election supervisor.
Comelec officials said the existence of intense political rivalry, presence of armed men and peace and order problem will make a village placed under “area of concern”.
The filing of certificate of candidacy for the May 14 elections will run until April 20. (Edwin Fernandez/PNA)
