AREAS OF CONCERN. Commission on Elections (Comelec) Antique Provincial Election Supervisor Salud Milagros Villanueva on Wednesday (Oct. 11, 2023) says 12 barangays in the towns of Sibalom and San Remigio are classified as areas of concern because of the serious threat of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA). In an interview, she assured voters from these barangays of their safety when they cast their votes on Oct. 30. (PNA photo by Annabel Consuelo J. Petinglay)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – There will be an augmentation of security forces in 12 areas classified as areas of concern in Antique province to ensure the safety of voters during the Oct. 30 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
Antique Provincial Election Supervisor lawyer Salud Milagros Villanueva said 12 barangays in Sibalom and San Remigio towns face a serious threat from the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), qualifying them under the areas of concern category.
“Of the 12 barangays, there are five in San Remigio and seven in Sibalom,” she said in an interview on Wednesday.
The barangays are along the boundaries of Iloilo and Antique, where there were sightings of the rebel group.
Villanueva added that they are now more than ready for the election; their contingency plan is in place, including for incidents of power outages.
She said the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is currently training over 5,000 poll workers who will serve at the electoral board in various polling centers in the 18 municipalities of Antique during the Oct. 30 polls.
They have also distributed ballot boxes and other non-accountable forms for use during the elections.
Villanueva also reiterated that candidates should refrain from engaging in vote buying, such as giving anything of value to induce a voter to favor a certain candidate.
“Comelec keeps on reminding the candidates and the voters against vote buying and selling, she said.
She said the Comelec continues to campaign against vote buying and selling, which merits a stiff penalty if proven guilty. (PNA)
