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Local execs want 6 areas placed under Comelec control


Citing incidents of election-related violence in their respective areas, several local officials have asked the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to declare their hometowns under the control of the poll body during the election period. In an interview with reporters, Comelec Commissioner Lucenito Tagle said they received a formal petition from Labangan, Zamboanga Del Sur Vice Mayor Wilson Nandang to put their area under the control of the poll body. He said Nueva Ecija Gov. Aurelio Umali, Maguindanao Rep. Didagen Dilangalen, Ilocos Sur Rep. Salacnib Baterina, Iloilo City Rep. Raul Gonzalez Jr., and San Manuel mayoral candidate former Vice Admiral Virgilio Marcelo gave similar requests, though in the form of a letter. He added that no areas in Metro Manila have yet to do the same. Tagle said the reasons given by the local officials for their request were all the same. "Marami nang violence ang nangyari at mga (There is too much violence happening and) threats that would disrupt the election, in general threats to leaders, not specific reasons," Tagle said. He was quick to note, however, that the poll body needs formal petitions to be able to act on the request. He said that upon receipt on the petition, they will conduct a hearing and then decide based on their request and the recommendation of the Philippine National Police (PNP). Comelec spokesman James Jimenez also earlier explained that the move will be based on many factors, especially how much it is needed in an area. "In many cases what you also want to look at is the placing of a place under Comelec control, is that a legitimate action or might it be used for political reasons," he said. He added that taking away the powers of local officials may prove to be too "obtrusive" for an area. Placing an area under Comelec control means that the Comelec commissioner to be assigned in the province would be the acting governor. It would also give the commissioner a say in running the province, as well as all the law enforcement agencies in the province. ERVIs According to a report by Vote for Peace 2010, a nationwide initiative headed by the Consortium on Electoral Reform, 39 election-related violent incidents (ERVI) that resulted in deaths or injuries happened from January 10 to March 25. Vote for Peace said the ERVIs can be partly explained by the continued presence of partisan armed groups and communist guerrillas, the proliferation of illegal firearms, and intense political rivalries among candidates. In the 2007 polls, statistics from the PNP showed 100 people were reported killed in election-related violence. In the 2004 presidential elections, a total of 189 people were reported killed while 279 others were wounded. Earlier, the PNP said that it has already placed all its forces nationwide on heightened alert, especially in the localities because ERVIs are generally more rampant at the local level than at the national level. In a separate report, the PNP said it has already identified a total of 558 cities and municipalities considered as areas of concern for the upcoming polls — or what it called "election watchlist of areas." Of the figure, 118 areas are located in the ARMM and 440 are in other regions. The PNP classifies the watchlist of areas under two categories. The first group includes areas where election-related violence "is expected to occur," while the second group includes areas where there are existing threat from extremist groups. — RSJ, GMANews.TV

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