Exactly seven weeks before the May 13 polls, the Philippine National Police yesterday identified 941 election hot spots nationwide where police forces are expected to be augmented.
PNP chief Police Gen. Oscar Albayalde said the number is equivalent to 57.60 percent of the total 1,634 cities and municipalities in the country.
Of the 941 election hot spots, 131 towns and cities are in the “Yellow” category; 238 in “Orange,” 570 in “Red,” while two others – Cotabato City and Daraga, Albay – have been placed under the control of the Commission on Elections.
The Comelec, PNP, and Armed Forces of the Philippines identify and classify election hot spots as “Green,” Yellow, Orange, and Red.
Green refers to areas of no security concern and relatively peaceful and orderly.
Yellow is areas with a history of election-related violence or existence of intense partisan political rivalry.
Orange includes areas where aside from having the factors considered in Yellow, there are also serious threats posed by domestic terror groups and the likes.
Red is comprised of areas where aside from the factors considered in Orange, relevant government agencies declare the existence of conditions which may constitute grounds for the declaration of Comelec control.
Albayalde said that areas placed under Red category will be given more monitoring since this is where election-related incidents are likely to occur.
Of the 570 areas under the Red category, 454 are cities and municipalities in the 27 provinces in the six regions of Mindanao. The Comelec earlier declared the entire region be placed under the Red category.
As of March 20, 118 Red areas were identified in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao; 93 in Northern Mindanao; 73 in Caraga; 72 in Zamboanga Peninsula, and 49 each in Davao region and Socsargen.
“There will be a realignment of our deployment with regards to this development,” Albayalde said. “I’ll be traveling together with some officers to check personally the deployment of our personnel in these areas especially those areas that are of grave concern or under color Red,” he added.
No Red area has been identified in the National Capital Region and Ilocos region.
The PNP earlier said that it will deploy 181,775 police personnel for public safety and general law enforcement duties on Election Day.
Of the number, 99,976 will be assigned in polling centers; 54,532 will be assigned to Quick Reaction Teams; 18,177 will compose the Reactionary Standby Support Force; and 9,089 will make up the Red Team and Headquarters Skeletal Forces. (Martin A. Sadongdong)