At least 14 provinces are under watch for possible private armed group (PAG) activity during the October 25 barangay (village) and Sangguniang Kabataan (youth council) elections. Radio dzBB's Benjie Liwanag Jr. reported on Thursday that these 14 areas have had records of PAG activities during the past elections:
Samar Lanao del Sur Lanao del Norte Maguindanao Sulu Basilan Nueva Ecija Abra Surigao Zamboanga Sibugay Sarangani Eastern Samar Western Samar, and Antique. Meanwhile, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta Jr. said the military will continue its preparations to ensure that the polls are honest, orderly, and peaceful. Cops monitor 7 private armies in Western Visayas In Western Visayas, meanwhile, police are keeping watch over at least seven private armed groups that may disrupt the October 25 elections. The regional police said these groups are dormant but may be used to disrupt the polls, the news site Visayan Daily Star reported. Out of the seven private armed groups, four are said to be in Iloilo province, two in Antique province, and one in Negros Occidental province. Western Visayas police head Chief Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao Jr. ordered security operations against firearm carriers and private armed groups in the region. The Pagdilao said police commanders should strictly coordinate with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the following: enactment of election rules, implementation of the Comelec gun ban from September 25 to November 10; conduct of "Oplan Sita and Bakal" at police checkpoints and chokepoints, and the banning of "illegal bodyguards" for political candidates. Pagdilao also announced the suspension of the "Permits to Carry Outside Residence" issued to licensed gun holders and the recall of police personnel assigned to government officials, effective on Saturday. He also required police commanders to start the activating the Joint Security Coordinating Council, which includes the Comelec, PNP and AFP. Proxy war Pagdilao said among certain politicians the October 25 elections may become a “proxy war." “It surely will attract political interventions as politicians gearing for the mid-term elections in 2013, will try to establish political influence at the barangay level," he added. On the other hand, Pagdilao claimed that the New People’s Army could use the October 25 elections to install their candidates in the barangay level through threat, intimidation, or even liquidation. In the 2007 barangay and SK elections, the police recorded nine election-related incidents in Western Visayas. –VVP, GMANews.TV 
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