Despite recent armed clashes, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Negros Island Region (NIR) has assured the public that there are no indications that the New People’s Army (NPA) has the capability to disrupt the May 12 elections in Negros.
Comelec-NIR Director Lionel Marco Castillano made the assurance on Monday following an encounter between government troops and suspected NPA members in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental over the weekend, where seven suspected ranking NPA members were killed by forces from the 11th, 15th, and 47th Infantry Battalions of the Philippine Army.
“We have received assurances from both the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Army that, as of now, there is no evidence suggesting the NPA intends to disrupt the elections,” Castillano said.
He also relayed that communication with the provincial election supervisor of Negros Occidental confirmed that, based on reports from the Kabankalan City election officer, “no voting centers were affected by the recent encounter.”
Castillano noted that while the clashes were primarily part of the government’s ongoing counter-insurgency efforts and not directly related to the elections, they serve as a testament to the Philippine Army’s continued vigilance.
“This proactive stance also provides us with added assurance that we can expect a peaceful and orderly election day, free from any untoward incidents,” he said.
During the NIR Regional Joint Security Control Center (RJSCC) meeting held on Friday afternoon in Sibulan, Negros Oriental, high-ranking officials from the Philippine Army and the Philippine National Police assured that sufficient personnel will be deployed to ensure election security and to respond to potential disaster scenarios, particularly in the event of an Alert Level 4 eruption of Mt. Kanlaon on or before election day. (PNA)
