PNP wants to place over 200 brgys under red category for BSKE polls

LAST DAY OF VOTERS REGISTRATION Residents of Quezon City troop to SM North EDSA, North Towers on January 31, 2023, on the last day of Commission on Elections’ voters’ registration for Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections. (INQUIRER file photo / NINO JESUS ORBETA)

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) wants to place over 200 barangays nationwide under the “red category” or areas of grave concern.

Red category is the highest alert level during the campaign season for Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE).

In a press conference, PNP spokesperson and public information office chief Colonel Jean Fajardo disclosed they are considering the inclusion of 246 barangays in the red category.

“As of September 20, 2023, meron na po tayong nasa 246 na barangays na tinitingnan po natin at inere-rekomenda na mapasailalim po sa red category,” Fajardo said.

(As of September 20, 2023, we are planning to recommend placing 246 barangays under the red category.)

She added that areas they eyed to place under the red category are mostly found in Visayas, particularly Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Regions 8 (Eastern Visayas) and Bicol Region.

“Samantalang may 1,248 barangays naman po na mapapasama sa orange category, at may 1,100 naman po na barangays na ire-recomend po natin na mapasailalim sa yellow category,” Fajardo revealed.

(On the other hand, there are 1,248 barangays that will be included in the orange category, and 1,100 will be recommended to be placed under yellow category.)

Fajardo explained communities under the orange category have serious threats from local armed groups and communist terrorist organizations.

Yellow alert means the sites recorded election-related incidents during the two previous polls.

The PNP will countercheck these figures with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine Coast Guard and submit the list to the Commission on Elections afterwards.

The election campaign for the October 30, 2023 BSKE began on August 28, 2023.

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