Best Posts in Thread: Negros Oriental under election watchlist

has confirmed that Negros Oriental is one of the provinces in the country under the election watch list or "areas of concern" for the May 2016 polls.

But Negros Oriental Provincial Police Office (Noppo) officer-in-charge police director Harris Fama, in a Kapihan forum, pointed out that being in the list "does not necessarily mean that an area is a hot spot or a high risk area."

He said “Ewas or election watch-list areas means the province may have recorded incidents in the previous elections that involved violent and intense political rivalry.”

Fama said this is a challenge for his leadership to monitor and secure election-related activities and any threats to life of a candidate.

With the activation of the Provincial Joint Security Coordinating Center (PJSCC) composed of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), PNP and Armed Forces of the Philippines, the implementation of gun ban and operation of checkpoint is intensified as security measure throughout the electoral process.

Dumaguete City Comelec Registrar Gildu Agoncillo asked to public to “bear with us in the checkpoints as it will intensify more as the elections draw near.”

He made this appeal after it was learned that some procedures in carrying out Comelec checkpoint operations have problems.

With this, Fama set a meeting with the Commission on Human Rights, Comelec, Land Transportation Office, and PNP.

The Comelec official said government agencies are prohibited to hire or appoint employees, as well as to transfer their officials or employees during the election period.

But the movement of personnel will be allowed as long as they are necessary to the functions of the offices and shall not, in any manner, influence the conduct of elections. (PIA) Negros Oriental identified as Ewas for May 2016 | Sun.Star