Comelec sees peaceful village, SK elections

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Monday expressed optimism on the success of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), despite the increasing number of areas classified under the red category.

«All indications show there will be an orderly election on Monday. We are setting a standard not only for this year's election but for the elections to come,» Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said during the poll body's turnover ceremony of government forces and resources to the Philippine National Police (PNP).

He mentioned setting two areas under Comelec control to ensure that voters can exercise their democratic rights — Negros Oriental and Libon, Albay.

The Comelec also reported an increase in the number of villages placed under the red category or areas being closely watched due to existing threats.

As of October 20, there were 361 villages under the red category, up from 242 a month ago. Most of the villages are from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The number of villages under the orange category also increased slightly from 1,257 to 1,271, as well as those in the yellow category which is now at 1,199, higher than last month's 1,077.

Earlier, the Comelec said these classifications are based on several parameters, including the occurrence of suspected election-related incidents, the existence of intense political rivalry, the possible employment of partisan or private armed groups, the occurrence of politically motivated election-related incidents, and the history of declaration of Comelec areas of concern and Comelec control.

Garcia said there should be no concentration of uniformed personnel in a single town.

«In each polling place, as much as possible, there should be one soldier and one member of PNP only,» he said.

The PNP is expected to deploy 180,000 to complement the 100,000 forces from the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. called on police officers to sustain the «gains and momentum» of protecting the BSKE from violence and fraud and uphold the sanctity of the ballot.

«Let us work together to ensure that the will of the Filipino people remains supreme,» he said.

He said safeguarding the