By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) clarified yesterday that only the Commission on Elections (Comelec) can make the declaration if Bacolod City is to be placed as an “area of concern” in the upcoming May 2022 National and Local Elections.

According to BCPO spokesperson, Police Lt. Colonel Sherlock Gabana, Bacolod City’s status has yet to be fully-assessed and the city’s situation is still being monitored by the city’s Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Council which is also led by the Comelec.

However, he reiterated that Bacolod City did not have any history of election-related violence or heated confrontation between political parties.
Earlier, Gabana also challenged the city’s electoral candidates to become role models for a peaceful election in the city.
So far only Escalante City and Moises Padilla have been identified by the Comelec as possible areas of concern in the upcoming polls with the reason either due to the presence of armed insurgents or due to a history of election-related violence.
A third local government unit in the province is also currently being eyed as another area of concern, although the Comelec has yet to make the announcement or identify if it is either a town or a city./DGB, WDJ