Comelec says ''100 percent ready'' for Oct. 30 elections
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) and its partner agencies are “100 percent ready” for the October 30 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections.
“The Comelec, PNP (Philippine National Police), AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines), Coast Guard, and DepEd (Department of Education) are really ready. It is happening in just a few days and we are ready. But with every day that the election approaches, we need to keep monitoring and counter-checking all the things where we may encounter problems,” Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said in Monday's press conference.
“So far, we have distributed all the election paraphernalia nationwide and they are already with the treasurers. Maybe on Friday, they can start the early deployment of teachers who are electoral board members in each barangay,” he added.
Garcia said Negros Oriental and Libon, Albay are placed under Comelec control.
“We made sure to place (Negros Oriental under Comelec control) again not just because of the incidents or the violence but because of what happened in March. We know that our countrymen there still have fear in their hearts and minds,” Garcia said.
On March 4, Governor Roel Degamo and eight others were shot dead while he was distributing aid in his compound in Pamplona, Negros Oriental.
Former Negros Oriental Rep. Arnolfo Teves is tagged as one of the masterminds behind the killing of Degamo.
“Your Comelec made sure to place Libon, Albay under Comelec control based on the recommendation of the PNP, AFP, Coast Guard, and the regional Comelec because of what happened in August where a candidate for barangay chairman and a councilor died. Their deaths were just one week apart. There is also the presence of the private armed groups,” he said.
For his part, PNP Chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda, Jr. said they have not monitored any threats related to elections.
He said there are 365 areas under the red category, 1,323 under orange category, 1,231 under yellow category while 39,114 barangays are in the green category.
“So far to our assessment, it’s a go-go for the PNP and the other agencies under the supervision of our Comelec chair. Everything is in order except for the deployment of 800 on their way to BARMM,” Acorda said.
Acorda said that since October 20, the PNP has identified four active and 38 potential private armed groups.
The PNP has recorded 109 election-related incidents, 22 of which are validated and are in Police Regional Office Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) areas.
Out of this number, 12 are shooting incidents, two are kidnapping, two are grave threats, two are light threats, one is robbery with intimidation and violation of domicile, one is indiscriminate firing, one is armed encounter, and one is harassment.
Acorda said this is an 18.51 percent decrease in election-related incidents from last year.
“Way back in 2018, we have 40 incidents. If the 22 incidents don’t increase, then that’s 45 percent decrease. Now if we compare the 2023 BSKE and the 2022 national elections we have 27 incidents. If there won’t be any more incidents, and I hope there will be none, it’s an 18.51 percent decrease,” he said.
The police, military and Coast Guard held a simultaneous send-off ceremony for their security personnel who will be deployed during the elections.
During the polls, police will be deploying 187,600 personnel; 117,585 for the AFP; and 30,0108 for the PCG.
The Department of Education will be sending 494, 662 teachers who will be members of the board of electoral inspectors. Jaspearl Tan/DMS
