Comelec urged to declare 300 places as ‘areas of concern’

MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday said there are some 300 places in the country that may be declared as areas of concern in relation to the upcoming May 9 elections.

Commissioner George Garcia said the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) have recommended that the areas be declared as areas of concern.

“As of today, there are recommendations submitted to us. But there is yet a Comelec resolution formally declaring these as areas of concern,” he said in a press briefing Thursday in Manila.

Garcia added that there is no decision yet declaring the places as areas of concern after Comelec Chairman Saidamen Pangarungan directed their personnel to do a final verification of the areas.

“The Chairman deemed it necessary to order a reverification, not from AFP or PNP, but from our own field personnel,” he said. “Every day the assessment will have to be changed. The PNP and AFP are recommendatory, but in the end, we will have our own final determination.”

In previous elections, the Comelec classified areas such as yellow category (areas of concern); orange category (areas of immediate concern); red category (areas of grave concern); and areas under Comelec Control.