The Regional Joint Security Control Center in Western Visayas (RJSCC-6) has identified 11 local government units (LGUs) in the region as areas of concern for the upcoming May 12 elections.

However, none have been classified under the red category, which indicates areas of grave concern.

“Fortunately, we do not have areas classified as red in our areas of concern,” Brigadier General Jack Wanky, director of the Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO-6), said in a press conference yesterday.

Of the 11 LGUs, five were placed under the yellow category, indicating a history of election-related incidents. These include the municipalities of Tobias Fornier in Antique, President Roxas in Capiz, and Ajuy, Lemery and San Dionisio in Iloilo.

Six LGUs fall under the orange category or areas with serious armed threats, namely Tapaz in Capiz and Janiuay, Alimodian, Maasin, Badiangan, and San Joaquin.

The remaining 90 LGUs were under the green category, including the town of Calinog, tagged under the red category or area of grave concern during the list released by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in January this year.

Wanky said the coverage for Western Visayas only covered Panay and Guimaras Island because soon, the regional office covering the Negros Island Region, where Negros Occidental was included, has started and will soon have its own monitoring.

PRO-6 Operations Division chief Colonel Gilbert Gorero, in a previous conference, said they are running numbers.

Every now and then, the RJSCC convenes to discuss if there are incidents and if they fall within the parameters of an area of concern. (PNA)