NO POSTPONEMENT SEEN. PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. on Monday (Oct. 2, 2023) holds a press briefing in Camp Crame, Quezon City. Acorda said the police force does not see any postponement of the BSKE in any area in the country and stressed that their security preparations for the Oct. 30 polls are underway. (PNA photo by Lloyd Caliwan)
MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said it sees no postponement of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) in any area in the country.
This is despite the identification of 2,594 areas of concern or election 'hotspots' ahead of the Oct. 30 polls, PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. said in a presser at Camp Crame, Quezon City.
The number includes 246 villages classified as "areas of grave concern" or under the red category; 1,248 villages under the orange category and 1,100 areas under the yellow category.
Acorda said these "areas of grave concern" are mostly from Bicol (21) , Eastern Visayas (60) and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), which has 151.
He, however, noted that these may change anytime depending on the political climate in the areas.
“All areas will be simultaneously doing or conducting the BSKE as scheduled. There are some areas where we see the need to deploy additional troops like the BARMM. We have to send additional forces and our deputy chief for operations is already preparing and coordinating with other agencies," Acorda said.
Areas listed under the red category would be under Commission on Elections (Comelec) control and the poll body has the authority to augment security forces in these areas.
Yellow areas are known to have a history of election-related cases in the last elections, possible presence of partisan armed groups, occurrence of politically motivated election-related cases and had been previously declared under Comelec control.
Orange, meanwhile, means areas of immediate concern where there is a serious armed threat.
He also said the PNP is keeping a close watch on 38 potential PAGs and four active PAGs ahead of the BSKE this year.
The election period for the BSKE started on Aug. 28 and will end Nov. 29. (PNA)
