All Of Mindanao Islands Put Under Red Flag Category Together With Three Other Areas
ENTIRE MINDANAO – The entirety of Mindanao and three other areas were categorized under the red flag category or areas that need intensive police attention by the office of Commission On Elections (COMELEC).
The Philippine National Police recently took necessary steps to assess local towns and cities for possible threats during the election. Previous reports show 43 election hotspots around Western VIsayas.
The Southern region was declared under Martial Law back in 2017 when the city of Marawi was caught in a crossfire between local terrorists and the military. The declaration was also extended until the end of 2019.
This is based on an article from ABS CBN News. According to the article, three other areas aside from Mindanao were also under the ‘red flag’ category.
Specifically, the areas were: Jones town in Isabela, Lope de Vega town in Northern Samar and Abra Province.
40 percent of the country’s local towns and cities has been considered ‘election hotspots’. That is 701 areas in total.
Areas under COMELEC authority are expected to submit to the office’s authority. The COMELEC has the power and authority to control and supervise law enforcement agencies and assigned military personnel.
This includes the power to relieve or reshuffle assigned officers.
COMELEC also has the authority to call for replacement of public officers when incompliance or violation to the rules and tasks related to the election is reported.
COMELEC reportedly took control of Cotabato City after a mall-bombing incident left two people dead. They also took control of Daraga in Albay, following the shooting incident that ended the life of AKO Bicol Party-list Representative Rodel Batocabe.
That is all there is to it for now. We’ll post updates as soon as we got them.