12 villages in watchlist

Nine barangays in the province and three in Cebu City are in the barangay election watchlist.

These are barangay Banban in Bogo City, barangays Panadtaran, Pitalo, Bugho and Tongo in San Fernando town, barangay Candabong in Dumanjug town, Sumon in Tuburan town, Kantubaon in Tabuelan town , and Manatad in Sibonga town.

In Cebu City, barangays Ermita, Guba and Pamutan are declared areas of concern because of intense political rivalry, said Supt. Paul Labra, chief of the Regional Intelligence Division.

Supt. Rodulfo Albotra Jr., chief of the Provincial Intelligence Branch (PIB), said they removed three barangays from their list because the candidates for barangay captains are uncontested.

Areas removed from the list are Cayang in Bogo City where Celestino Martinez III is running unopposed. Also removed from the list are barangays Poblacion Sima in Dumanjug and Kanluhangon in Tabuelan.

A military team will be sent to areas in the watchlist, to augment police personnel.

A sendoff ceremony will be held this afternoon for 5,000 policemen who will be deployed to various areas in Central Visayas starting today in preparation for the barangay elections on Oct. 28.

The Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 said these policemen will secure the 2,910 polling centers in the entire Central Visayas.

Red alert

Meanwhile the Armed Forces of the Philippines has formed Task Group Cebu to help with the security during the barangay elections and Kalag-kalag.

They will be on red alert until November 3.

Commander Anchises Diola, head of the task group, said soldiers will be sent to different barangays in all areas in Central Visayas except Bohol, on the day before the barangay elections./ Correspondents Chito O. Aragon, Fe Marie D. Dumaboc and Christine Emily L. Pantaleon