By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) yesterday confirmed there are at least 80 barangays throughout Negros Occidental considered as election watchlist areas (EWAs).

NOPPO director, Police Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Castil, Jr., said the declarations were made following workshops and conferences between the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and other concerned government agencies.

Castil pointed out EWAs are split into three categories.

He explained, Category 1 refers to barangays with reported election-related violence, Category 2 are barangays with reported New People’s Army (NPA) presence and other armed groups, and Category 3 are areas that are experiencing both election-related violence and NPA presence.

Based on NOPPO records, three barangays have been declared as Category 1, 74 as Category 2, and three as Category 3.

Castil added, the marked barangays are still subject for further validation and monitoring.

It was earlier reported that four far-flung barangays located in Moises Padilla, Don Salvador Benedicto, Calatrava, and Toboso were declared EWAs for the upcoming May 14 barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections./DGB, WDJ