MANILA – The Commission on Election (Comelec) on Thursday announced that 403 areas nationwide have been identified as areas of concern for the May mid-term elections.
In a press conference at Camp Crame, the Comelec said 38 areas were placed under the red category (areas with serious armed threats and history of election-related incidents), 177 under orange category (areas with serious armed threats), and 188 under yellow category (areas with a history of election-related incidents).
Meanwhile, 1,239 areas were placed under the green category (areas with no election-related security concerns).
According to Comelec data, 32 of the areas under red category are in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) while there are two each in Cagayan Valley and the Bicol Region.
Under the orange category, 48 areas are in the Bicol Region, 22 in BARMM, 17 in Caraga, 16 in Central Visayas, 15 in Cagayan Valley, 13 in Eastern Visayas, 12 in Mimaropa, 11 in Soccsksargen, nine in Western Visayas, eight in Northern Mindanao, three in Zamboanga Peninsula, and one each in Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
Most areas under yellow category are in BARMM at 49, followed by Northern Mindanao (22), Ilocos (19), Zamboanga Peninsula (18), Central Luzon and Eastern Visayas (13 each), Caraga (11), CAR (10), Cagayan Valley (nine), Calabarzon, Western Visayas, and Central Visayas (seven each), Soccsksargen (two), and Mimaropa (one).
While there are 38 cities and municipalities under red category, Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said they are hoping the security situation in these areas would finally be properly addressed in order to do away with Comelec intervention.
He then urged local politicians and candidates to cooperate with the security measures in order to ensure peaceful and orderly conduct of elections.
“Siyempre yung mga nasa kulay pula kalimitan yan yung mga possible candidates sa tinatawag na areas of Comelec control. Sana wala lalo na sa mga pulitiko, incumbent man sila or hindi incumbent, basta pulitiko or kandidato, sana huwag niyo isipin na malagay ang inyong lugar sa under Comelec control sapagkat hindi niyo gugustuhin yun. It will make the lives of our people there in the area at least a little difficult at ayaw natin ng ganun (Those areas under red category are likely to end up under Comelec control. I hope the politicians, whether incumbent or otherwise, including the candidates, would do something to avoid this because it will make the lives our people in the area a little difficult, and we don’t like that),” said Garcia.
Garcia said the declaration of areas of concern is being made to guide the poll body, along with the security forces, in ironing out their preparations and security deployment before, during and after the elections.
Garcia, however, said they are also keeping an eye on the areas under green category since there is no 100-percent assurance that the elections would be peaceful in those places.
“Green means there is no threat of any election-related violence but we are also on guard since there are some cases that those under green suddenly become red as the election day nears,” the poll chief said.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) reported 120 possible election-related incidents (ERI) in 2024, but Garcia said only 12 of them have so far been confirmed to be related to the upcoming polls. He said investigation is still ongoing regarding the other cases reported by the PNP.
“Maybe we could also come up with the proper definition (of election-related incidents) so that even the members of the media would be guided. For instance, if a barangay captain was held up or the house of a mayor was robbed, could they be classified as ERI?” Garcia said.
For his part, PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil said they have consistently intensified the operations and other campaigns to ensure the peaceful conduct of elections, particularly in running after private armed groups and loose firearms.
Marbil also said the PNP will further beef up its cybersecurity efforts to make the coming polls more secure.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines, on the other hand, is looking at the possibility of conducting intelligence operations to determine the background of candidates running for the midterm elections, according to its chief of staff, Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr.
The press briefing was held following the activation of the PNP’s National Election Monitoring Action Center, which would allow real-time monitoring of polling centers across the country.
Under Resolution No. 10999, the Comelec en banc set the election period from January 12 to June 11, 2025.
During this period, a gun ban will be imposed nationwide except for security forces and other individuals declared as exempted, among them prosecutors and judges.
The 90-day campaign period for senators and party-list representatives will start from February 11 until May 10. Local candidates will be allowed to campaign from March 28 to May 10. (with Priam F. Nepomuceno, PNA)