The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has classified four towns and a city in Negros Occidental as “areas of concern” for the 2025 National and Local Elections.
Twelve other areas in Western Visayas have also been tagged as areas of concern.
COMELEC Commissioner Aimee Ferolino, who heads the Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Concerns (CBFSC), presented the areas of concern grouped into the categories of green, yellow, orange, and red at a press briefing, the Philippine Information Office reported on Friday, Jan. 17.
She said in Negros Occidental Isabela and San Enrique are classified as yellow and Calatrava, Cauayan and Sipalay City as orange.
An area is classified as yellow if there is an occurrence of a suspected election-related incident in the last two elections and the existence of intense partisan political rivalry with no participation of domestic terror groups.
An area is classified as orange if there is a combination of two or more factors under category yellow, or serious armed threats posed by communist terrorist groups and/or other threat groups as may be declared by the competent authority.
The Commission En Banc, among others, may direct the augmentation of Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police personnel as the need arises, and reshuffle the police force in such areas.
Negros Occidental Provincial Elections Supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria said the classification by the Comelec head office is based on their intelligence findings.
The classifications are similar to that of the Army’s although the police has not identified any areas of concern in Negros Occidental yet, he said.
Comelec Negros Island Region Director Lionel Marco Castillano said the Regional Joint Security Control Center will also make its recommendations to the Comelec head office based on its assessment.
The classifications serves as a guide for election security plans, he said.
Ferolino also said Calinog in Iloilo has been classified as red or an area with serious armed threats by communist terrorist groups or other threat groups.
Other WV areas under the yellow category are Tobias Fornier in Antique, President Roxas in Capiz, and Ajuy, Lemery and San Dionisio in Iloilo.
Classified under the orange category are Tapaz in Capiz, and Badiangan, Janiuay, Leon, Maasin and San Joaquin in Iloilo.*