15 areas of concern named in 2013 polls

MANILA, Philippines—Interior Secretary Mar Roxas on Friday identified 15 “high-risk” provinces throughout the country in relation to the upcoming midterm elections next year.

Included in the election watch list of the Philippine National Police and the Interior department were Abra, Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Cagayan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Batangas, Cavite, Masbate, Samar, Misamis Occidental, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, and Basilan

“Dito iyong high-risk na magkaroon ng karahasan sa darating na halalan kaya ito priority na provinces,” Roxas said, but added that other provinces will still be under the radar.

Roxas said the provinces were tagged high-risk based on several factors such as the existence of private armed groups in there are: number of election-related violence; loose, expired, and unrenewed firearms; intense political rivalry; organized crime groups; and other threat groups.

“Lahat ng mga factors na ito ay pinasok ng PNP sa isang algorithm . . .  para hindi masabing pinili-pili lang . . . itong mga priority provinces na ito,” Roxas said.
Special task groups will be created for each of the 15 provinces, and intensified police operations will be carried out, including checkpoints, accounting and recover of loose firearms, reshuffling of PNP personnel, and accounting of wanted persons.

The Interior secretary also said a judicial audit of jails throughout the country, including that of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology following reports that inmates are being made to temporarily go out of jail to stage violence.

“Magkakaroon ng audit ng mga preso para masigurado na sila ay nananatili sa loob,” Roxas said.

As to private armies, Roxas said authorities identified 60 private armies, and 47 others are being monitored.