The Negros Occidental Provincial Joint Security Control Center (PJSCC) is still assessing whether Barangay Tabugon in Kabankalan City should be tagged as an election area of concern following an encounter that caused the death of six alleged members of the New People’s Army.
There are 51 barangays in Negros Occidental tagged as election areas of concern ahead of the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan polls on October 30.
Most of the 51 barangays were included in the list because of insurgency related concerns and not because of intense political rivalry, Provincial Election Supervisor Ian Lee Ananoria said Friday, September 29.
The list is subject to review with political rivalry likely to heat up in some barangays as the polls near, he said.
The PJSCC is set to meet on October 4 for the review, which will include an assessment of Tabugon’s status, Ananoria said.*