LUCENA CITY – Six towns in Quezon province have been identified by the local police as election hotspots.
Quezon provincial police chief Col. Joel Villanueva, on Friday said that the towns of Infanta and Mulanay were placed under the “yellow” category due to reported election-related violence.
Mayor Filipina Grace America of Infanta was wounded after an attack by an unidentified gunman on Feb. 27 at the town center after attending a church service.
America, who is seeking reelection under the Nacionalista Party against two rivals, claimed that the attack was “politically motivated.”
Mulanay, on the other hand, had a history of election-related incidents in the last two elections and intense political rivalry, Villanueva said.
The four other towns—General Nakar, General Luna, Lopez and Catanauan—have also been tagged as election hot spots and placed under the orange category due to recent sightings of New People’s Army (NPA) rebels and encounters with government forces.
Villanueva said police forces in the province would strictly implement all safety measures during the election period.
“Police presence will be everywhere to ensure the peaceful conduct of the campaign until election day,” he said.
The campaign period for candidates in local elective positions, including members of the House of Representatives, as well as regional, provincial, city, and municipal officials, started on Friday and will end on May 7, or two days before the national and local elections.