By Catherine Teves
MANILA, (PNA) -– Interior secretary Mar Roxas anticipated no major disruption of the Oct. 28, 2013 nationwide ‘barangay’ elections.
”The over-all situation is stabilized,” he said.
He noted Philippine National Police (PNP) is enforcing relevant laws in accordance with orders of Commission on Elections (Comelec) to help promote honest, orderly and peaceful ‘barangay’ elections nationwide.
Comelec also reported being able to distribute its election paraphernalia to precincts around the country.
PNP is coordinating with Comelec and the armed forces forsuccessful conduct of the ‘barangay’ polls.
Government set such polls to determine the next batch of village chairpersons and councilors nationwide.
Poll chief Sixto Brillantes Jr. noted reports so far show no major untoward election-related incident since precincts nationwide opened at 7 a.m..
He also said preparation for this year’s ‘barangay’ elections is “more satisfactory” compared to those made in 2010.
The 2013 elections cover some 42,000 ‘barangay’ villages nationwide.
Authorities earlier identified several of such villages as being areas of concern based on criteria like intensity of political rivalry and previous election incidents there.
Authorities are particularly keeping an eye on such areas.
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) head Chief Supt. Marcelo Garbo said there are 12 areas of concern in this region that’s also known as Metro Manila.
He noted NCRPO will deploy additional police in those areas if needed.
Garbo said his inspection of NCR so far showed no occurrence of any major election-marring incident.
”I can say there’s peaceful conduct of the ‘barangay’ elections,” he said.
NCRPO is still on the lookout for possible skirmishes during counting of votes cast, however.
”I ordered police to be wary of such possibility,” Garbo said.
Authorities reported arresting nearly 600 people for violating the gun ban government set for the polls.
Government likewise confiscated about 492 firearms and over 4,000 deadly weapons, authorities noted.
Also arrested were some 171 persons for violating the Oct. 27-28 liquor ban Comelec ordered in connection with the ‘barangay’ elections.
Such ban covers selling, offering, buying, serving and taking in intoxicating liquor nationwide.
Comelec exempted from the liquor ban Zamboanga City and Bohol where the agency re-scheduled ‘barangay’ elections to Nov. 25 this year, however.
The re-scheduling’s due to attack of Moro National Liberation Front rebels in Zamboanga City last month and the magnitude 7.2 killer earthquake in Bohol on Oct. 15 this year.