More police and military personnel deployed to 4 towns declared “red” in Region 12 

GENERAL SANTOS CITY – More police and military personnel were deployed in four municipalities in Region 12 (Socsksargen) that have been classified as “red” areas or places with serious armed threats and other election-related security for Monday’s local and national midterm elections.

Lawyer Jose Villanueva, Commission on Elections (Comelec)-12 assistant regional director, said these are the municipalities of President Quirino, Palimbang and Columbio in Sultan Kudarat, and Pikit in Cotabato province.

Villanueva said they are closely monitoring the intense political rivalry in President Quirino and the presence of armed factions in Pikit, Columbio and Palimbang that may disrupt the conduct of the polls.

He said President Quirino and Columbio are also close to Buluan town in Maguindanao which was earlier placed under Comelec control.

^{Atty. Jose Villanueva, Comelec Region 12 assistant director, during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas media forum hosted by PIA-12 on Tuesday (5 November 2024). Photo from PIA South Cotabato Facebook page}

“(President Quirino) is a special concern because one of our colleagues was previously gunned down there. Although the police investigation was not conclusive that it was election-related but just the same, the victim was from Comelec,” he said in an interview.

John Nico Dionaldo Pandoy, assistant election officer of Isulan town, was shot dead in Poblacion, President Quirino last November 23.

Villanueva said the Police Regional Office 12 has assigned additional police personnel to the four municipalities, while the Armed Forces of the Philippines also provided augmentation.

President Quirino and Columbio were placed by Comelec central office last March under the green category or with no security threats, and Palimbang under yellow category or has a presence of suspected election-related incidents, intense political rivalries, potential hiring of private armed groups, politically motivated election-related incidents, and previously declared under Comelec control.

Pikit was earlier under the orange category or has presence of serious armed threats or at least two factors from yellow category.

Aside from the additional security personnel, the official said they deployed at least 900 trained and DOST (Department of Science and Technology)-certified policemen who may serve as replacements in case any of the assigned electoral board (EB) members will back out from poll duties.

“None of our EBs has backed out as of the moment but were monitoring the situation in some areas like Pikit,” he said.

Comelec has listed a total of 2,701,992 eligible voters in Soccsksargen, which comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and Cotabato, and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, and Kidapawan.

The region has 3,492 clustered precincts in 1,350 voting centers.

“We’re ready, we’re on track and we’re on time with our preparations for Monday,” Villanueva said.

Comelec personnel here earlier reported damage in one of the ballot boxes assigned to the area but it is now being remedied, he said.

He said the Automated Counting Machines (ACMs) are ready for deployment in the polling precincts early on Monday and they have at least 400 standby machines as replacement in case of glitches.

Villanueva said they do not foresee any major problem in the conduct of polls but said they are ready with their contingencies.    

“We expect to see the initial trend for winning candidates one to two hours after the voting closes and the possible winners before midnight,” he added. (Allen V. Estabillo)